Air Vehicle Conceptual Design Engineer

HavocAI • San Diego, CA

3d

About The Position

HavocAI is seeking an Air Vehicle Conceptual Design Engineer to help define the next generation of autonomy-native aircraft.
Unlike traditional aircraft optimized for single-platform performance, these systems are designed to operate as coordinated fleets, where collaboration, communication, and mission adaptability are fundamental design drivers.
In this role, you will explore new aircraft architectures, develop early-stage design concepts, and shape platforms optimized for swarm operations, maritime integration, and distributed autonomy.
This role sits at the intersection of aerospace design, systems thinking, and autonomy-driven platform architecture.

Requirements

• Strong background in aerospace engineering, aircraft design, or related field
• Demonstrated intuition for aircraft conceptual design and configuration tradeoffs
• Ability to move quickly from whiteboard concept to early 3D design models
• Experience contributing to conceptual design or advanced aerospace programs
• Strong systems-thinking mindset with curiosity about distributed systems and multi-agent autonomy
• Portfolio demonstrating creative yet technically feasible aircraft concepts

Nice To Haves

• Experience with conceptual design tools (OpenVSP, CAD, CFD tools, or similar)
• Background in UAV or experimental aircraft programs
• Familiarity with autonomy-driven system design
• Interest in distributed autonomy, swarm systems, and collaborative vehicle architectures

Responsibilities

• Develop novel aircraft concepts optimized for collaborative autonomy and swarm operations
• Explore unconventional airframe configurations tailored for multi-vehicle mission profiles
• Evaluate tradeoffs between platform performance, autonomy requirements, and fleet-level capability
• Produce rapid design iterations through sketches, parametric models, and digital prototypes
• Conduct early aerodynamic and configuration trade studies
• Translate conceptual ideas into technically feasible aircraft architectures
• Design aircraft optimized for maritime launch, recovery, and operational environments
• Incorporate communications architectures designed for mesh-native and distributed autonomy systems
• Work closely with other Engineers and advanced development teams to transition concepts into detailed architectures
• Align aircraft concepts with autonomy, compute, and mission system requirements
• Explore launch, recovery, and deployment logistics for autonomous aerial platforms
• Evaluate operational considerations such as transportability, field support, and scalability

Benefits

• 100% Employer paid Health, Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your families
• Life Insurance (Employer Paid)
• Ability to participate in the companies 401k program (Matching)
• Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2 week minimum
• Equity Package
• Work / Home Office Stipend
• Global Entry
• 16 Week Paid Parental Leave
• Monthly Health and Wellness Stipend

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed