Senior Structural Design Engineer

Apera is partnered with one of the most promising clean-sheet development programs in the aerospace sector. Our client is building innovative, VTOL aircraft for defense applications
, with flight-tested technology that has already demonstrated industry-leading efficiency. You’ll be joining a highly experienced team made up of experts from some of the United States’ most respected aircraft manufacturers.

We’re looking for an experienced Structural Design Engineer to design and develop composite airframe structures from early concept through manufacturing and testing. The role involves leading structural assemblies, optimizing designs for load paths and manufacturability, and collaborating closely with analysis, test, and manufacturing teams to ensure performance and certification requirements are met.

• Design and develop composite aircraft structures (primary and secondary) for prototype programs
• Lead major airframe assemblies from concept through manufacturing and testing
• Apply strong understanding of load paths, hand calculations, and structural best practices
• Create manufacturing-ready composite designs, including layups, joints, and sandwich structures
• Collaborate with analysis, test, and manufacturing teams to validate performance, cost, and buildability

• 8+ years designing lightweight, high-performance structures (aerospace or similar)
• Deep understanding of load paths and composite laminate design
• Hands-on experience with composite and bonded structures
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with manufacturing exposure

If you’re interested in working on advanced composite structures for a next-generation aircraft program, please send your resume to or reach out to me directly to learn more.