Composite Design Engineer

Company Description

APEX Space & Defense Systems delivers lightweight, durable solutions for the space, defense, and mission-critical infrastructure industries. The company's products support complex operations that protect national security, enable global connectivity, and advance space exploration. APEX is driven by innovation and quality, with a strong culture of transparency, integrity, and partnership across all projects. The organization brings together three expert composite manufacturing business units-ACPT, AAR, and Unitech - each with more than 40 years of experience.

As a combined team, APEX continues to lead in advanced composite material manufacturing and engineering solutions.

The Sr. Composite Design Engineer will be responsible for leading complex design efforts, driving structural optimization, and ensuring designs are manufacturable, certifiable, and aligned with program requirements. The Sr. Composite Design Engineer will serve as a key technical contributor, collaborating cross-functionally to bring high-performance composite components from concept through production.

• Lead the design and development of composite structures and components, ensuring compliance with aerospace performance, weight, cost, and manufacturability requirements.
• Create and review 3D models, detailed drawings, and engineering release packages using CAD software (e.g., CATIA, NX, Solid Works).
• Develop laminate schedules, ply books, and composite stack-ups aligned with structural load cases and manufacturing constraints.
• Perform structural analysis in collaboration with stress engineering to validate strength, stiffness, fatigue, and damage tolerance requirements.
• Interface closely with manufacturing, tooling, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and smooth transition into production.
• Support prototype builds, first article inspections (FAI), and production ramp activities, resolving technical issues as they arise.
• Participate in material selection, process selection (autoclave, OOA, RTM, etc.), and design trade studies.
• Generate and maintain engineering documentation including specifications, reports, change notices, and configuration management records.
• Support customer technical reviews, design audits, and certification activities.
• Drive continuous improvement in composite design standards, modeling practices, and engineering processes.

• Extensive experience in composite structural design within the aerospace industry.
• Strong proficiency in CAD modeling, FEA, and drafting tools (CATIA, NX, Solid Works, or equivalent).
• Deep understanding of composite materials, laminate theory, ply orientation strategy, and aerospace structural requirements.
• Familiarity with aerospace regulatory standards and quality systems (e.g., AS9100).
• Experience working closely with manufacturing teams in a production environment.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Technical Expertise:
  Advanced knowledge of composite structural design, laminate development, aerospace materials, and certification requirements.
• Engineering Judgment:
  Demonstrates strong decision-making capability in evaluating design trade-offs, structural performance, and manufacturability.
• Problem Solving:
  Proactively identifies design risks and implements technically sound, data-driven solutions.
• Collaboration:
  
  Works effectively with cross-functional teams including stress, manufacturing, quality, and program management to achieve program milestones.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Actively improves design methodologies, modeling standards, and engineering efficiency.
• Communication:
  Clearly articulates complex technical concepts to internal teams, leadership, and customers.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field required;
Master's degree preferred.

Experience:

10+ years in a similar role.

• Preferred specific composites and aerospace industry experience.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit, stand,…