Mass Properties Engineer

Atropos • San Diego, CA

3h

About The Position

The Principal Mass Properties Engineer is a technical role responsible for predicting, tracking, and managing the mass, center of gravity, and inertia of advanced aerospace vehicles. This role requires a dynamic engineer capable of working throughout the development lifecycle from conceptual design and rapid prototyping through design reviews, first flight, and large scale production. The successful candidate will establish mass properties fundamentals as a core systems engineering discipline and serve as the primary point of contact for this function. They will coordinate closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams and suppliers and ensure that air vehicles comply with airworthiness regulations and industry standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a closely related STEM field.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in mass properties or weight engineering, with a proven track record of taking complex aerospace vehicles through the development lifecycle to first flight and production.
• Deep understanding of weight and balance principles, coordinate system transformations, and the calculation of 3-axis centers of gravity, moments, and products of inertia.
• Expertise in 3D CAD, PLM, and mass properties data tracking software, specifically Siemens Teamcenter, CATIA, and Excel.
• Direct, hands-on experience conducting aircraft weighing operations, spin balance testing, and physical inspections on the factory floor or at test sites.
• Exceptional communication and cross-functional leadership skills, capable of serving as the primary mass properties point of contact for executive leadership, subsystem teams, third party suppliers, and external customers.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with competing priorities.

Nice To Haves

• Background in mass properties software development or standing up/integrating commercial weight analytic tools into enterprise PLM systems.
• Experience or deep understanding of airworthiness certification processes under FAA for 14 CFR Part 25 aircraft.
• A proven dedication to fostering team development, such as experience with company mentorship programs.
• Experience in generating Form F documentation, W&B handbooks, and conducting ground tests.

Responsibilities

• Establish and mature mass properties fundamentals and control processes for a large (>80,000 lb MTOW) UAV development program from conceptual design through high rate full scale production.
• Collaborate across multiple cross-functional teams and suppliers to ensure seamless integration of mass properties management, including technical performance metrics, maturity margins, and weight reduction efforts for overweight systems.
• Manage and mitigate mass property risks throughout the program lifecycle, assessing the uncertainty and consequences of weight impacts.
• Provide vital deliverables to internal stakeholders, including accurate, comprehensive status reporting, subsystem weight allocations, and complex CG/weight optimization trade studies.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Manage aircraft CG within extremely tight tolerances ahead of taxi and flight events, coordinating heavily with fuel and software teams to ensure correct requirements are implemented.
• Get hands-on with the aircraft by writing procedures for, leading, and executing critical ground tests, including physical aircraft weighing operations, control surface inertia testing, weight on wheels, ground vibration testing (GVT), and fuel tilt testing.
• Prepare and generate key regulatory and operational documentation, including Form F and official Weight & Balance (W&B) Manuals.
• Spearhead the development, evaluation, and integration of mass properties workflows within major 3D CAD and PLM environments (such as CATIA and Siemens Teamcenter).
• Lead the logic processing and integration of advanced weight analytics software within existing engineering toolsets to streamline the extraction of mass data directly from 3D parametric models.

Benefits

• Platinum Healthcare Benefits: Atropos offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with 100% employer-paid premiums and little to no cost to you
• Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Atropos, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents
• Unlimited PTO, with minimum of 15 days enforced
• 20 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting
• Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well
• Tuition and professional development reimbursement for STEM, MBA, and licenses
• Daily Lunch catered
• Company-funded child care stipend
• Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.
• Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). 6% employer matching contribution

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level