Structure Design Engineer
About The Position
Swarm Aero is redefining air power by building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network globally. The company is rapidly developing its first aircraft specifically designed for swarming, along with Command & Control software to manage swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets. This software empowers human operators to achieve unprecedented results. The team comprises individuals with a proven track record of creating and exiting multiple startups, negotiating multi-billion dollar defense deals, and designing and building over 30 novel aircraft, bringing extensive aerospace experience from companies like Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic. This is a general application for structures and composite design engineers. Swarm Aero hires across the full structures lifecycle, encompassing composite primary and secondary structure design, metallic structure design, structural joints, laminate design, tooling collaboration, and structural repair and sustainment design. While an immediate opening matching your exact background may not be available, strong candidates are reviewed by engineering leadership on a rolling basis, and we will reach out when a suitable opportunity arises.
Requirements
- BS or MS in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field
- 3+ years designing composite or metallic structure for aircraft, spacecraft, or other high-performance vehicles
- Working knowledge of composite materials, layup methods, and failure modes
- Proficiency in CAD (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) and solid GD&T fundamentals
- Hands-on mindset. You have walked the shop floor and changed your design because of what you saw there
- Bias toward speed. You release, build, test, and iterate
- Ability to work onsite in Oxnard, CA
- U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Nice To Haves
- Experience designing composite primary structure on a certified or flight-tested aircraft
- Familiarity with prepreg, infusion, or out-of-autoclave processes
- Experience with FEA tools (Nastran, Abaqus, HyperMesh) or close collaboration with stress teams
- Experience taking structure through static, fatigue, or qualification testing
- Startup or small-team experience where you owned large scope
Responsibilities
- Own the design of major composite airframe structure from concept through first flight
- Define laminates, ply drops, and core layouts that balance weight, strength, and producibility
- Design bonded and bolted joints for primary structure
- Work side by side with stress analysts to close margins and iterate quickly
- Partner with composites manufacturing on layup, cure, and assembly methods
- Release engineering drawings and models that shops can actually build from
- Support structural test campaigns and incorporate findings back into the design
Benefits
- Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company
- Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
- Medical, dental, vision, and 401k
- PTO and paid sick leave
- Monthly wellness stipend
- Daily catered lunch (office)
- Paid parental leave
- Direct impact on a critical national security mission
- A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
