Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer
About The Position
L3Harris is seeking a Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer to serve as a Senior Structural Stress Engineer on its Aeronautical Systems Engineering team supporting Special Mission Aircraft. The role leads and performs structural stress analysis and substantiation of aircraft modifications, including primary airframe structures, fuselage cutouts, equipment racks, consoles, intercostals, and other mission-equipment installations. The work includes preliminary structural sizing, detailed static-strength analysis, finite element modeling, technical documentation, and production liaison support. The engineer evaluates metallic and composite structures using classical analysis methods, finite element analysis, and established aerospace analysis tools. The role coordinates with Structural Design, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Production, and other engineering disciplines to develop structurally sound, producible solutions that meet program requirements. It requires independent work, technical leadership, analysis-package review, and mentoring junior engineers. The position is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and follows a 9/80 schedule: employees work nine days out of every 14-day period for 80 total hours, with every other Friday off. Travel of up to 10% may be required. The employee must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience, or a graduate degree with at least 4 years of relevant experience; alternatively, 10 years of mechanical engineering experience in lieu of a degree.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.
- Ability to work independently, lead technical assignments, review analysis packages, and mentor junior engineers.
Nice To Haves
- Extensive structural analysis experience supporting defense aerospace programs and special mission aircraft modifications.
- Experience with Gulfstream G550 aircraft structures.
- Experience performing static-strength analysis and structural substantiation of aircraft primary and secondary structures.
- Experience substantiating fuselage cutouts, pressure-box structures, equipment racks, consoles, and intercostal installations.
- Proficiency in classical structural analysis methods and finite element analysis using FEMAP/NX Nastran.
- Understanding of aircraft structural load paths, metallic failure modes, joint analysis, stability, and stiffness requirements.
- Fatigue and Damage Tolerance (F&DT) analysis experience, including familiarity with AFGROW.
- Composite analysis experience using Classical Laminate Theory, including laminate bearing/bypass analysis, fairing sizing, and laminate sensitivity studies.
- Experience mapping computational fluid dynamics (CFD) pressure loads onto structural finite element models.
- Experience developing spreadsheet-based analysis tools and processing large sets of load conditions.
- Experience preparing and reviewing stress analysis documentation, substantiation packages, and formal engineering reports.
- Experience coordinating with design, manufacturing, and production personnel to resolve structural issues.
- Previous experience as a Lead Stress Engineer, MRB signature authority, or in a role with final technical approval responsibilities.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings and use CAD models to obtain geometry and section properties.
- Strong technical communication, collaboration, mentoring, and organizational skills.
Responsibilities
- Lead structural stress analysis assignments from requirements definition and preliminary sizing through detailed substantiation, technical review, production support, and delivery.
- Define analysis methods, modeling approaches, assumptions, and acceptance criteria for assigned structural modifications.
- Perform static-strength analysis of primary and secondary aircraft structures, including frames, skins, fittings, equipment supports, racks, consoles, and fuselage cutout reinforcements.
- Develop, modify, and evaluate finite element models using FEMAP/NX Nastran to determine internal loads, stresses, deflections, and structural stiffness.
- Evaluate failure modes, including material strength, panel and cap instability, crippling, fastener shear/tension/bending interaction, bearing, and composite bearing/bypass.
- Extract section properties from CAD models and assess large sets of load conditions using spreadsheets, batch-processing tools, and established analysis applications.
- Analyze composite structures and evaluate laminate configurations, including sensitivity to layup changes and applied pressure loads.
- Prepare stress notes, formal substantiation reports, spreadsheets, and technical presentations documenting methods, assumptions, results, and conclusions.
- Perform peer reviews of finite element models, analysis packages, and stress reports for technical accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
- Provide structural liaison support for engineering changes, drawing revisions, manufacturing discrepancies, and nonconformances.
- Support Material Review Board activities and exercise technical approval authority when formally delegated.
- Mentor junior engineers in structural analysis, finite element modeling, technical writing, and problem resolution.
- Execute assigned work within program schedules and budgets while complying with applicable engineering processes and requirements.
- Travel up to 10%, as required.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
