Senior Reentry System Structural Engineer

Description

Are you interested in designing and testing next generation hypersonic and reentry systems?

Do you enjoy exploring new technologies through experimentation?

If so, we are seeking a senior‑level structural engineer to help us perform research, development, design, analysis and prototyping of next generation reentry systems, hypersonic vehicles, and enabling technologies to advance our Nation's premiere strategic weapons systems. As a member of our team, you’ll be making critical contributions to develop these next generation systems, ensuring the enduring effectiveness of our Nation’s strategic deterrent.

You will be joining a collaborative team of engineers who work together to provide impactful solutions to system level objectives and challenges. We are passionate about innovation and our team is committed to providing engaging challenging work and supporting continued learning and development.

• Lead structural analysis and design of next‑generation re‑entry vehicles, including loads, stress, vibration, buckling, thermal‑structural coupling, and survivability assessments.
• Engage with and contribute to multi-disciplinary teams to solve critical challenges in the prototyping of advanced reentry systems.
• Develop and own structural verification plans, including sub‑scale/full‑scale test matrices, test fixture design, instrumentation, and test‑data correlation.
• Mentor entry‑level structural engineers, delivering technical guidance and professional development support.
• Generate technical reports and presentations to communicate findings to team members, government sponsors, and industry partners.
• Lead efforts to develop and improve structural best practices and computational techniques.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• A Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
• 7+ years of relevant experience in the design, development, and/or analysis of flight‑critical structures (hypersonic vehicles, space systems, missiles, aircraft, or related high‑performance platforms).
• Proficiency with structural analysis software (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or comparable FEA tools)
• Familiarity with solid‑modeling CAD packages (PTCCreo, Solid Works, CATIA, etc.).
• Deep expertise in linear and non‑linear, static and dynamic structural analyses including stress, modal/vibration, buckling, and coupled thermal‑structural analysis
• Demonstrated technical leadership as a structural lead, team lead, or project lead on complex aerospace/defense programs.
• Demonstrated ability to perform structural analysis and inform structural design across the full product lifecycle: from hand calculations to inform early design architecture to detailed FEA analysis to verify final flight hardware design
• Strong communication skills in a matrixed organization, able to interact effectively with APL staff, government sponsors, military customers, and industry partners.
• Are able to obtain a Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Top Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering
• Direct experience with design, analysis, or testing of hypersonic or re‑entry vehicles.
• Hands‑on experience with structural prototyping, fabrication, and test, including design of test fixtures, load‑cells, and instrumentation.
• Experience in developing novel structures for aerospace applications
• Working technical knowledge of U.S. Navy or Air Force strategic missiles, re‑entry systems, or hypersonic programs.
• Proficiency with solid‑modeling CAD packages (PTCCreo, Solid Works, CATIA, etc.)
• Expertise in Design for Manufacturability & Assembly (DFMA) and/or design optimization for additive manufacturing
• Proficiency with the design and analysis of high‑temperature composite structures
• An active Secret or higher clearance at…