Structures Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles | On-Site Opportunity | Fastwater Staffing

Location: Costa Mesa, California, USAEmployment Type: Full-TimeWork Arrangement: On-siteStart Date: ImmediateCompensation:TBD -- based on skills and experience

Important Screening Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder).
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret Security Clearance.
• Candidates should have a strong interest in supporting U.S. defense and national security programs.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Structures Engineer to support the design, analysis, and development of next-generation hypersonic air vehicle platforms. In this role, you will develop lightweight, high-performance structural systems capable of operating in extreme environments, perform structural and thermal analyses, and collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams throughout the product development lifecycle. The ideal candidate has expertise in aerospace structures, composite materials, high-temperature design, and advanced aircraft development.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop structural components and assemblies for hypersonic air vehicle platforms.
• Perform structural analyses, engineering calculations, and design evaluations to ensure structural integrity and performance.
• Design lightweight, structurally efficient assemblies for high-speed and high-temperature operating environments.
• Support the fabrication, integration, testing, and validation of structural components.
• Evaluate structural performance under thermal gradients and extreme operating conditions.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams throughout the design, manufacturing, and testing lifecycle.
• Participate in design reviews, technical trade studies, and engineering decision-making.
• Prepare engineering documentation, technical reports, and design analyses.
• Support prototype development and continuous product improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or an equivalent engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in the aerospace or related industry.
• Strong technical knowledge of:
  • Structural engineering principles
  • Composite materials
  • Structural design, analysis, testing, and fabrication
• Deep understanding of load paths, structural design practices, and engineering hand calculations.
• Proven experience designing high-performance aerospace structures and supporting their fabrication.
• Self-motivated with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with clean-sheet aircraft development.
• Experience designing structures for high-speed or hypersonic platforms.
• Experience with high-temperature materials and material selection.
• Experience performing thermal gradient structural analysis.
• Proficiency with Siemens NX.
• Experience designing and manufacturing prototype uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).
• Hands-on manufacturing or fabrication experience.
• Practical aviation experience (e.g., pilot's license, A&P certification, or equivalent).