Structures Design Engineer- Staff/Senior

Position Overview

Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, is seeking a Structures Design Engineer- Staff/Senior to contribute to the design, build, and fly of advanced aircraft and enabling technologies. This role involves technical leadership, design and development, project execution, and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership within the design team, approving design concepts and setting technical objectives for projects.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, working independently for extended periods.
• Create airframe structural configuration layouts and detailed designs, using both metallic and composite materials.
• Develop and maintain CAD models and drawings of installations, assemblies, and detail components, ensuring compliance with structural integrity, interface boundaries, weight, and cost targets.
• Conduct design reviews and validate product structures to ensure components meet functional, fit, and form requirements.
• Assume ownership of project execution and integration, coordinating with stress, manufacturing, procurement, and quality control teams to mature designs from initial conception to full-scale production.
• Track weekly progress and maintain project documentation to ensure alignment with program milestones.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and tooling teams for prototyping, material selection, and production strategies, particularly for composite components.
• Prepare and present technical and programmatic data during Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs) and Critical Design Reviews (CDRs).
• Offer technical guidance and mentorship to team members, including junior designers, to achieve high-quality deliverables.

Minimum Requirements

• Ability to obtain a US Security Clearance for which the US Government requires US Citizenship.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in aerospace or related fields.
• Competence with CAD software, particularly CATIA V5, SmarTeam, or similar product data management systems (e.g., Enovia LCA or PDM).
• Knowledge of industry standards relating to composite component design, manufacturing, repair, and assembly (specific to aerospace).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with a collaborative mindset.

Preferred Requirements

• Expertise in CATIA V5 modules, including Generative Surface Design, Part Design, and Assembly.
• Advanced knowledge of composite material structures, including design, stacking sequences, lamination theory, bonded assemblies, and post-cure machining operations.
• Familiarity with prototype and rate production, including exposure to manufacturing tooling design, planning, and hands-on fabrication.
• Knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), specifically ASME Y14.5 and related tolerance analysis techniques.
• Experience with Model-Based Definition (MBD), familiarity with ASME Y14.41 methods and CATIA V5 FTA for functional tolerancing and annotations.
• Strong foundation in manufacturing and development of aerospace structural components and assemblies.

Physical Requirements

Ability to work on-site on a weekly basis at our Manassas, VA or Cambridge, MA locations.

Salary Range (Annualized USD)

Minimum Range: $92,000.00 to $164,000.00
Maximum Range: $112,000.00 to $199,000.00

Aurora Company Overview

Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, is a leader in the development and manufacturing of advanced unmanned systems and aerospace vehicles. Our mission is to apply autonomy and robotics to the development, production, and operation of advanced aircraft. Over the past three decades, Aurora has designed, rapid-prototyped, and flown an average of one new vehicle a year for both government and commercial customers. As an independent subsidiary of Boeing, Aurora's innovation is combined with Boeing's size and strength, creating an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of aerospace systems.

Aurora Total Rewards

Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company, strives to offer a Total Rewards package that attracts, engages, and retains top talent. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. Eligible employees can enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and programs providing for both paid and unpaid time away from work. Specific programs and options may vary based on eligibility factors such as geographic location and date of hire.