AeroMechanical/Composite Structures Engineer

About the role

Join us in building aircraft at scale, reindustrializing the Midwest, and turning autonomous aircraft into decentralized infrastructure. Orb is a small mission-driven team where your initiative, creativity, and dedication will be used to reach every village on the planet with power, logistics, and communications.

Responsibilities

• Design and analysis of composite and metallic aircraft structures using classical and finite element methods
• Support requirements definition, conceptual/preliminary layout, and detailed analysis for vehicle systems
• Develop full designs, drawing packages, BOMs, and assembly instructions for assigned vehicle program(s)
• Support research efforts in conceptual-level mechanical design, analysis, and optimization, using scripting platforms like MatLAB/Simulink and Python
• Perform trade studies from "first principles" and basic engineering fundamentals to drive a design from ideation to mass-manufacturing
• Stay up to date on new technologies, aircraft configurations, materials, and manufacturing processes in support of ongoing and future programs and participate in the conception of novel aircraft mechanical systems and configurations
• Rapidly prototype and vet design concepts using handmade models, programming environments, spreadsheets, and CAD software
• Support the fabrication team during build, resolving issues to keep manufacturing moving
• Plan, perform and assist with lab, field, flight, and environmental testing

Qualifications/Experience

• BS in Aerospace or Mechanical engineering or related field
• 2-5 years of work experience in relevant industry
• US Citizen or Legal Permanent resident
• Experience with the design and fabrication of composite and metallic aircraft and aircraft parts
• Hands on fabrication skills using composite materials, CNCs, 3D printers, lathe, mill, welder, or other shop equipment
• Familiarity with industry design and documentation standards including, but not limited to GD&T, ASME, ASTM, ISO, etc.
• Familiarity with aircraft design and certification requirements
• Familiarity with Siemens NX/TeamCenter/Fibersim
• Experience in prototype manufacturing in a fast-paced environment, including creating MBOMs, and engineering drawings (to GD&T standards) for fabrication shop handoff
• Proficient in CAD workflows, authoring process, and equipment documentation
• Experience with project execution from initial ideation to decommissioning
• Excellent problem solving and teamwork skills while working with cross-functional teams
• Ability to scale responsibilities appropriately as the team/company grows
• Knowledge of and experience in structural analysis using classical methods and FEA (NASTRAN, FEMAP, Ansys, etc)
• Experience in mechanical design and fabrication of heavily loaded components and structures, as well as high-precision components

Additional Desired Skills

• Project management experience
• Experience with the design of lightweight structures, heavily loaded structures, and actuators, including COTS hardware selection and implementation
• Experience designing aircraft flight hardware and/or ground support equipment
• Performed ground vibration/acoustic/flutter analysis on aircraft structures
• Experimental Aircraft homebuilding is a plus!

Attributes

• Organized
• Humble
• Self-starter
• Excellent communicator capable of pitching the company
• Motivated to learn new skills
• Passionate about Orb’s mission
• Interested in Aviation

About Orb Aerospace

ORB was started with the mission to bring aviation to the 80% of the world that’s never had it; turning autonomous aircraft into tools to decentralize infrastructure, connect continents, protect soldiers, provide for families, and run economies. “Less like the flying taxis, more like the flying cowboys,” Orb is at the intersection of manned and unmanned aviation, reindustrializing the Midwest, and building the future we know is possible and want to live in.

Node One is a small team of engineers and operators who have dedicated their lives to solving some of the world’s hardest problems through a new kind of aviation. Orb’s live-work-fly R&D HQ. Node One is all about reducing the cycle time to design, build, and fly aircraft from years to months and building the systems and platforms we’ll use to reach every village on the planet. We stand on the shoulders of giants. Their great work allows us to accomplish ours. If you’ve been a rocket/airplane nerd and have a passion for designing, building, and flying airframes, autopilots, power systems, and embedded systems, or you love to push a new product through new manufacturing methods to a new market, come join the team at Node One and make history.

Orb Employees Are:

• High Agency and Biased Towards Action
• Biased Towards Action
• Have a History of Self-Starting, Pacing, and Finishing Projects
• Thrive with Autonomy to Design New Solutions to Partially Defined Problems
• Curious and Continue Learning
• Can Represent the Company to Stakeholders and Customers
• Forward Deployed
• Have Integrity and a Desire to Serve Others

Standard Benefits Package

• Monthly flat rate towards medical, dental, and vision ($500 flat rate for individuals; $850 flat rate for married/family)
• Medical, Vision, Dental, Short/Long Term Disability, and Group/Voluntary Life Insurance
• Opt-In 401K Options (Pre-Tax or Roth)
• 3% Employer Match

Perks

• Support in Getting your Pilots License and Ratings
• Support for Continuing Education
• Annual Customer Demos all over the World

Final Hiring Decisions

Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.