Lead, Structural Engineering

L3Harris•Sacramento, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

L3Harris is seeking a Lead Structures & Dynamics Analyst in Sacramento, California, or Huntsville, Alabama, to perform structural analysis that verifies product designs meet structural performance requirements and supports preliminary design verification. The role focuses on solid rocket motor (SRM) components, particularly propulsion nozzles, and requires familiarity with thermal structural analysis and composite structures. The analyst leads and supports structural modeling and analysis throughout the product lifecycle, from early development through qualification and production, collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams and interfacing with customers. This position contributes to design decisions and flight-critical hardware for national defense propulsion technologies. It involves establishing structural integrity across flight and ground-handling phases, producing technical reports and presentations, participating in design reviews, and helping improve internal analysis tools and processes. The role requires the ability to obtain a U.S. Secret security clearance and includes 10% travel. The work schedule is 9/80, with every other Friday off.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 9 years of structural analysis experience; or a graduate degree and at least 7 years of structural analysis experience; or at least 13 years of structural analysis experience in lieu of a degree.
Ability to obtain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
Experience with structural analysis of aerospace structures; the role particularly emphasizes rocket propulsion nozzles, solid rocket motors, thermal structural analysis, and composite structures.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
Proven experience in linear, nonlinear, and dynamic structural analysis supporting solid rocket motor design and qualification.
Proficiency with finite element analysis tools such as ANSYS Mechanical; ANSYS MAPDL or Python scripting experience is highly desirable.
Familiarity with structural assessment and design of solid rocket motors.
Ability to interpret aerospace structural requirements and coordinate load development with cross-functional teams.
Working knowledge of structural instabilities, material nonlinearities, and coupled load environments.
Exposure to full-lifecycle aerospace solid rocket motor product development, from design through manufacturing and test.
Strong technical communication skills and proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

Lead and support structural analysis for solid rocket motor components, particularly nozzles, as well as metallic and composite motor cases, insulation, and propellant grains.
Verify structural integrity across flight phases and ground handling.
Build and execute finite element models using ANSYS, ABAQUS, or comparable tools, including appropriate material definitions and nonlinear or temperature-dependent properties.
Coordinate with thermal, CFD, and performance teams to establish pressure, thermal-gradient, and mechanical loading conditions; derive boundary conditions and load cases when needed.
Use classical closed-form methods to validate and supplement numerical results, including preliminary design trades and quick-turn assessments.
Import and simplify solid CAD models to create suitable geometry for analysis.
Evaluate margins of safety for yield, ultimate failure, buckling, high-cycle fatigue, low-cycle fatigue, and fracture using established practices and internal allowables.
Prepare technical reports, stress notes, and presentations documenting methods, assumptions, and conclusions for internal reviews and customer delivery.
Participate in design reviews and communicate analysis results, trade-offs, and risks to multidisciplinary audiences, program management, and customers.
Contribute to internal tool development, analysis automation, and knowledge capture to improve efficiency and standardization.
Travel approximately 10%.