Loads and Dynamics Engineer

About the Role

As a Loads & Dynamics Engineer supporting the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program, you will play a critical role in ensuring spacecraft and flight hardware can withstand the extreme environments of launch and spaceflight. This role offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of spacecraft structural dynamics, collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to ensure mission success.

Researches, plans, designs and develops mechanical products and systems such as instruments, controls, robots, engines, machines and mechanical, thermal hydraulic or heat transfer systems for production, transmission, measurement, and use of energy. Applies research to the planning, design, development, and testing of mechanical and/or electromechanical systems, instruments, controls, engines, and/or machines.

Responsibilities

• Perform structural dynamics analysis for spacecraft flight hardware operating in demanding launch and space environments
• Develop and maintain analytical models using in-house and commercial software to simulate vibration, shock, and mechanical loading conditions
• Conduct loads development at the component, subsystem, and system level
• Evaluate dynamic environments including shock, vibration, and mechanism motion
• Support component and system-level testing, including vibration, modal, static, separation dynamics, and shock tests
• Analyze test data and document results in clear technical reports and presentations
• Define and integrate structural and dynamic requirements into the system baseline
• Present technical findings at design reviews, technical interchange meetings, engineering review boards, and test readiness reviews

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Structural, or Mechanical Engineering or similar technical field
• Experience performing structural dynamics analyses, loads, or environments development
• Experience in finite element modeling and analysis using NX Simcenter, NASTRAN, LS-Dyna, Wave6, or equivalent
• Experience in programming and use of MATLAB (or equivalent) for analysis and data manipulation
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance; US citizenship is required

Desired Skills

• Master’s degree in Aerospace, Structural, or Mechanical Engineering with structural dynamics and loads/environments development experience
• Expertise in vibroacoustic and shock analyses on spacecraft/launch vehicles using Wave6
• Experience in the planning and execution of static, vibration, acoustic, modal, and shock testing for aerospace flight hardware
• Experience with structural dynamics rigid body and flexible body analyses of composite structures, metallic structures, and mechanisms
• Experience in Finite Element Modeling, modal analysis, Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA), and model correlation/verification
• Excellent communication skills—both written and verbal, self-motivated, and able and willing to support multiple projects
• Proficient in AI prompting as it applies to this position and practice

Pay

Full-Time Salary Range: $85,300.00 - $158,300.00

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Flexible work arrangements and schedules (e.g., 4x10)
• 401(k) match
• Paid time off, Holidays, Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Education Assistance
• Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability

Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be offered depending on the position. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and can vary from year to year and are tied to a range of performance metrics.

For Washington state applicants only: Non-represented full-time employees accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full-time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.