Staff Stress Methods Engineer

Archer • San Jose, CA

4h • $152,000 - $190,000

About The Position

Archer Aviation is seeking a highly motivated, experienced engineer to join our team in revolutionizing the aviation industry. In this role you will be developing predictive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) methods, advanced material models and analysis tools. You will bridge the gap between physical testing and virtual simulation by collecting test data, calibrating material models, and demonstrating high-fidelity correlation at both the component and system levels. This role is critical in enabling vehicle-level predictive simulations that reduce the need for iterative physical testing and accelerate our path to certification.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in finite element modeling.
• Expert-level proficiency in ANSYS, NASTRAN, or similar FE software.
• Deep understanding of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and material behavior including plasticity and failure theories.
• Experience with modeling complex material behavior and generating material cards for analysis.
• Familiarity with measurement tools (strain gauges, load cells, extensometers, accelerometers, digital image correlation etc) and mechanical testing equipment (load frames, shaker tables, drop towers).
• Strong technical, written, and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• Master’s or PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
• Experience with NX, ANSA, Meta, HyperX, or NCODE.
• Proficiency in Python or Matlab for automating simulation workflows and post-processing.
• Experience with composite materials, metallic fatigue and adhesive bond failure.
• Experience with high strain rate material testing.
• Materials database management.

Responsibilities

• Establish and document best practices for a Building Block Approach to structural validation, ranging from coupon-level to full-scale vehicle airframes.
• Lead testing efforts to characterize basic material properties and complex interactions within larger systems.
• Develop predictive modeling methods for complex material behavior including plasticity, high strain rates, environmental conditions, and failure.
• Demonstrate test vs. simulation correlation across the Building Block Pyramid for a diverse range of load cases, including modal, static, linear/explicit dynamic, thermal, random vibration, and shock.
• Collaborate with the broader structural analysis team to improve internal analysis methods and software tools.

What This Job Offers

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