Stress Analyst

Structures.aero (SDA) provides engineering services to a diverse range of aerospace customers that create versatile vehicles from hand‑launched drones to manned lunar spacecraft. Our core expertise lies in advanced composite structures, supported by a strong background in metallic structures. We engage across the full product lifecycle, taking the lead or providing critical support from early design through production, and are growing quickly to meet rising demand for our capabilities.

We are seeking a talented and driven Aerospace Structural Analyst with 6‑15 years of experience to join our team in supporting the structural analysis and verification of both primary and secondary aerospace structures. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in stress analysis of composites and metallic components, familiarity with industry‑standard tools and methods, and enthusiasm for solving challenging engineering problems in a fast‑paced development environment.

This is an involved technical role with opportunities for increased project ownership and mentoring responsibilities over time.

Successful candidates will be able to work independently or with a team of up to 10 engineers on tasks such as performing preliminary layouts of structural and mechanical systems, preliminary and detailed structural analysis, and completing and releasing analysis reports for production. Candidates must be able to self‑guide work and manage tasking of other teammates, provide mentorship to junior engineers, have excellent communication skills, and thrive in fast‑paced development environments.

SDA provides a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, paid leave that scales with experience, flexible working schedules, and 401k with immediate vested contribution matching. This is an on‑site position at our office in Sterling, Virginia. Occasional travel out of state to support customer meetings may be required.

• Perform stress analysis of aerospace structural components and assemblies using both hand calculations and finite element analysis (FEA)
• Analyze composite and metallic structures in accordance with aerospace industry standards
• Support design optimization efforts by providing analytical feedback and recommendations to design engineers
• Build and validate finite element models including linear static, buckling, modal, and non‑linear as needed
• Determine and validate structural load paths
• Conduct analysis of loads, margins of safety, and failure modes of parts and assemblies
• Generate and review technical reports and presentation materials for internal and customer‑facing use
• Collaborate with design, manufacturing, and test teams to ensure compliance with requirements and production readiness
• Participate in design reviews, peer reviews, and verification planning activities
• Support structural test planning, execution, and correlation to analysis when applicable

• Candidates must be a U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident/Green Card Holder)
• B.S. in Aerospace/Aeronautical or Mechanical Engineering from an accredited university
• 6 to 15 years of relevant experience in aerospace structures
• Working knowledge of composite and/or metallic structural behavior under aerospace load conditions
• Ability to plan tasks and track progress towards an end goal
• Ability to perform basic static and kinematic analysis using hand calculation techniques
• Proficiency in finite element analysis tools such as FEMAP/NX Nastran and Simcenter 3D
• Solid understanding of free‑body diagrams, load paths, and classical analysis techniques
• Experience creating and interpreting stress documentation
• Strong written and verbal communication / presentation skills in English
• Proficiency in Office 365 (Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)

• Leadership experience managing an engineering team through a development project
• Experience with FAA or Military certification activities, including analyzing to appropriate FAR/MIL standards and interfacing with DARs and DERs
• Experience working with composite modeling techniques and failure criteria
• Hands‑on experience supporting structural testing or hardware validation
• Knowledge of non‑linear or dynamic analysis methods
• Experience using Model‑Based Definition (MBD) and interpreting CAD models

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Engineering and Information Technology

Aviation & Aerospace