Airframe Design Engineer

Electra•Manassas, VA

2d•$92,000 - $112,000•Onsite

About The Position

Electra is seeking an Airframe Design Engineer to help design, integrate, and develop primary and secondary structures for its nine-passenger EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft. The engineer will support major structural design deliverables, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and help ensure structures meet performance, safety, manufacturability, and certification goals. The position is based at Electra’s Manassas, Virginia headquarters, where on-site presence is strongly preferred, and includes occasional travel under 10%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
At least 2 years of experience in aircraft structural or airframe design, integration, and development, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Strong understanding of airframe structural design for metallic and composite components.
Demonstrated experience across conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design phases.
Proficiency with 3D CAD tools; Siemens NX or CATIA V5/V6 preferred.
Familiarity with FAA Part 23 or Part 25 structural certification requirements.
Working knowledge of loads, stress, and fatigue principles and their influence on design decisions.
Experience creating aerospace engineering drawings, design documentation, and configuration-controlled deliverables.
Strong communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional teamwork.
Ability to manage design tasks, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced development environment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience with hybrid-electric, eSTOL/eVTOL, or other advanced aircraft development programs.
Familiarity with composite manufacturing processes such as AFP, infusion, or hand layup.
Experience with FEM tools such as NASTRAN, FEMAP, or HyperMesh.
Background in weight optimization, design-for-manufacturability, or design-to-cost.
Knowledge of requirements management or PLM tools such as JAMA or Teamcenter.
Experience coordinating with suppliers on design, fabrication, or integration activities.
Private pilot license or a strong passion for aviation.

Responsibilities

Support design and development of primary and secondary airframe structures, including fuselage, wing, empennage, and landing gear integration.
Assist with structural design from concept through detailed design and certification, ensuring compliance with performance, manufacturability, maintainability, and safety requirements.
Work with structural requirements, material selections, and design criteria in support of applicable airworthiness regulations.
Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, systems, manufacturing, stress, and certification teams on integrated structural solutions.
Produce design documentation, including 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, ICDs, and supporting design reports.
Execute trade studies evaluating materials, configurations, manufacturing approaches, and integration options to balance weight, cost, and performance.
Support structural analysis by working with stress engineers on static, dynamic, and fatigue considerations.
Participate in design reviews and provide technical mentorship to early-career engineers.
Work with suppliers on manufacturability, design-for-production, and technical issue resolution.
Contribute to continuous improvement of structural design methods, tools, and development processes.
Stay informed about emerging technologies, advanced materials, and evolving FAA certification requirements for new aircraft types.
Support CAD administration duties, including tool and process development for designers.