Aircraft Structures Stress Engineer
Location: Newport News, VA
Job Type: Contract-to-Hire
Starting Pay: $55/hour; higher pay may be available depending on experience
Position Overview
We are seeking an Aircraft Structures Stress Engineer to support aircraft modification, repair, integration, and certification projects. This position focuses on evaluating structural integrity and producing engineering substantiation for aircraft structures and mechanical systems.
The engineer will work with design, electrical, certification, production, quality, and other engineering teams to ensure modifications are structurally sound, manufacturable, maintainable, and compliant with applicable airworthiness requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform structural evaluations for aircraft modifications, repairs, installations, and certification activities.
- Analyze static strength, fatigue, damage tolerance, vibration, thermal effects, and other structural conditions as required.
- Develop load paths, free-body diagrams, analytical models, assumptions, and supporting calculations.
- Prepare stress reports, engineering analyses, margin of safety calculations, compliance documentation, and substantiation packages.
- Review drawings, designs, and proposed modifications for structural integrity, manufacturability, maintainability, safety, and compliance.
- Support certification documentation, test plans, regulatory submissions, and customer approval activities.
- Work with Mechanical, Electrical, Design, Certification, Production, and Quality teams to identify and resolve structural issues.
- Provide engineering support during fabrication, assembly, installation, troubleshooting, ground testing, and flight-test activities.
- Participate in design reviews and provide recommendations related to structural performance, reliability, safety, and airworthiness.
- Maintain engineering documentation under configuration control and follow applicable company quality and engineering procedures.
- Contribute to improved analysis methods, engineering standards, and lessons learned.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Engineering Manager.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited college or university.
- Experience performing structural analysis and engineering substantiation for aircraft, aerospace products, or mechanical systems.
- Knowledge of structural mechanics, materials, fatigue, damage tolerance, vibration, FEA, classical hand calculations, and engineering evaluation methods.
- Experience creating engineering analyses, stress reports, margin of safety calculations, and compliance documentation.
- Familiarity with aerospace materials, manufacturing processes, fastener systems, composite structures, and aircraft structural repair practices.
- Experience with engineering analysis tools such as ANSYS, FEMAP, NASTRAN, Abaqus, Mathcad, or equivalent software.
- Strong analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
- Ability to work in both an office and aircraft hangar environment.
- U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Resident status required.
- Familiarity with configuration management, engineering release procedures, and aerospace quality systems such as AS9100.
- Experience working with customers, DERs, FAA representatives, OEMs, suppliers, or certification authorities.
Preferred Experience
- 5+ years supporting aircraft modification, repair, integration, or aerospace product development programs.
- Experience with FAA certification, STC programs, military airworthiness, or other regulated aerospace projects.
- Knowledge of MIL-HDBK-516C and military aircraft modification programs.
- Experience with static strength, fatigue, damage tolerance, vibration, thermal, or FEA analysis.
- Experience preparing certification packages, engineering reports, compliance documentation, test plans, and substantiation materials.
- Background supporting aircraft production, modification, installation, ground testing, or flight testing.
