Design Engineer – Advanced Concepts & Prototypes – Aerospace Research
About The Position
GE Aerospace Research is seeking an early-career Design Engineer to join its Advanced Concepts & Prototypes team in Niskayuna, New York. The role focuses on mechanical design and prototype hardware that advances technologies from laboratory concepts toward application-focused demonstrations. The team collaborates with researchers across GE Aerospace Research to build prototypes that accelerate adoption of new technologies in GE Aerospace products. The first three years include structured development through technical foundation-building in the home lab, strategic stretch assignments, coursework, mentorship, independent research, and cohort connections. The position contributes to prototype design from concept development through manufacturing, assembly, hardware checkout, and testing. Some travel may be required for prototype builds, testing, partner meetings, or customer meetings. Relocation assistance is available. The role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information and may involve projects requiring active U.S. Government security clearance. The posting states U.S. citizenship and proof of citizenship are required for employment due to project requirements and potential access to controlled or classified information; it also describes qualifying U.S. Person status for export-control access. Employment offers are conditioned on successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM discipline.
- Must be willing to work from the GE Aerospace Research office in Niskayuna, New York.
- U.S. citizenship and proof of U.S. citizenship are required for employment as stated in the job posting, due to project requirements and potential access to controlled or classified information.
- Must be able to complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of an employment offer.
Nice To Haves
- Prior internship, co-op, or research experience involving hands-on mechanical design, prototype hardware, manufacturing, assembly, inspection, troubleshooting, or testing.
- Experience with three-dimensional computer-aided design, engineering drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance analysis, design for manufacturing and assembly, or product-lifecycle-management tools.
- Exceptional academic performance with a research orientation, including thesis work, publications, presentations, patents, or open-source contributions.
- A humble and inclusive working style that seeks learning, feedback, and diverse technical perspectives.
- A focused, rigorous, and transparent approach using data, hypotheses, experiments, clear communication, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to reach evidence-based technical decisions and connect engineering work to program impact.
- Demonstrated initiative through technical projects, university activities, professional organizations, or community involvement.
Responsibilities
- Independently design moderately complex prototype components, brackets, fixtures, and test-article features using computer-aided design tools, design-for-manufacturing principles, material standards, and basic tolerance analysis.
- Create and maintain accurate three-dimensional models, engineering drawings, bills of material, and product-lifecycle-management records in accordance with GE Aerospace design practices.
- Evaluate how component and subassembly designs affect system interfaces, alignment, assembly, manufacturability, safety, and test fidelity; identify design risks and develop practical mitigations with the team.
- Troubleshoot moderate design issues involving tolerance stack-ups, clearances, fit, and assembly sequence, seeking guidance from experienced engineers on complex or unfamiliar problems.
- Develop and compare design alternatives, including commercial-off-the-shelf versus custom hardware, and conduct focused feasibility assessments to support design decisions.
- Collaborate with researchers, analysts, test engineers, machinists, manufacturing teams, and assembly technicians to translate prototype objectives into buildable hardware and support design reviews, manufacturing, assembly, hardware checkout, and testing.
- Take responsibility for assigned design deliverables and communicate decisions, status, technical issues, and schedule risks using drawings, tolerance analyses, clearance assessments, and other engineering evidence.
- Seek and apply feedback, adapt when requirements change, and contribute ideas that improve computer-aided-design and product-lifecycle-management workflows.
Benefits
- Relocation assistance
- Eligible for the GE Aerospace AIR bonus program
- Health care coverage, including medical, dental, vision, and pharmacy
- Retirement plan, including Company Retirement Savings and a 401(k) with company matching
- Life insurance options
- Disability coverage
- Paid time off
- Employee assistance program
- Professional development
- Competitive compensation
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
