Structural Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Victorville, California, United States; on-site. U.S. work authorization is required, and the role may involve access to technology controlled under EAR and ITAR without export-license sponsorship.

Salary: $90,000–$120,000 base annually for Structural Engineer roles; $125,000–$175,000 for Senior Structural Engineer roles. Equity may be included.

Company

Rapidly growing defense technology company developing autonomous, scalable, decentralized defense platforms through advanced manufacturing and hardware innovation.

What you will do

• Develop structural layouts and aeromechanical architectures for advanced aerospace and defense platforms.
• Perform load path development, stress analysis, vibration assessments, structural sizing, and mechanical analysis.
• Build and analyze FEM models, including mesh generation, boundary conditions, load cases, and design trade studies.
• Evaluate metallic and composite structures under static, dynamic, and thermal loading conditions.
• Optimize stiffness, strength, mass, manufacturability, and system integration through structural trade studies.
• Collaborate with propulsion, flight sciences, manufacturing, and systems engineering teams and communicate structural risks, margins, and performance assessments during design reviews.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 2–5+ years of experience in aerospace structural design and stress analysis.
• Experience with FEM modeling and structural analysis tools for aerospace applications.
• Strong understanding of structural mechanics, stress analysis, load paths, and material behavior.
• Experience supporting aerospace conceptual or preliminary design efforts.
• Authorization to work in the United States is required; export-control authorization may be required without visa or export-license sponsorship.

Nice to have

• Experience with FEMAP, NASTRAN, or similar structural analysis software.
• Experience with missile, UAS, propulsion, or high-speed aerospace systems.
• Familiarity with metallic and composite aerospace structures.
• Experience in a fast-paced startup or rapid hardware development environment.

Culture & Benefits

• Equity participation or stock options may be included in offers.
• Healthcare, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement savings plans and paid time off.
• Funding for continuing education, training, and professional development.
• Performance-based incentives and transparent compensation tiers.