Senior Composite Design Engineer: Aerospace & Defense
Santa Ana, CA | Full-time, on-site
$150K–$175K base + up to 10% bonus
You'd be joining a fast-growing aerospace & defense composites manufacturer that is hiring two senior engineers. You'd own composite structures from concept through production for space, defense and high-performance programs, working right beside the shop floor that builds them.
What you'll do:
- Lead the design of composite structures, from 3D models through to release packages (CATIA, NX or SolidWorks)
- Author laminate schedules, ply books and stack-ups
- Work with stress engineering on strength, fatigue and damage tolerance
- Drive design-for-manufacturability and support first article inspections (FAI) and the production ramp
- Shape material and process selection: autoclave, out-of-autoclave (OOA) and RTM
What you need:
- 10+ years of composite structural design, with an aerospace background
- Hands-on experience taking parts into production, not just design or R&D
- Strong grasp of laminate theory and ply orientation
- BSc in Aerospace, Mechanical or Materials Engineering (MSc preferred)
- Experience with Fibersim or CATIA CPD (Composites Part Design) is a plus, as is a background in motorsport or performance-auto composites
Why it's worth a look: real ownership of your designs from concept to production, rather than being one engineer among hundreds at a prime contractor. Relocation is considered for exceptional candidates.
You should be proficient in:
