Structural Engineer

About the Role

We are looking for a Structural Engineer to design, analyse and build airframe structures for our unmanned aerial platforms. You will own structures from concept through CAD, FEA, manufacturing and testing, working closely with the design and analysis teams as well as the composites and CNC teams on the shop floor. This is a hands-on role in a fast-paced R&D environment, with the flexibility to work in shifts.

Responsibilities

• Design UAV airframe structures (fuselage, wings, tail, mounts, bulkheads, payload bays) in CAD to weight, strength and stiffness targets
• Work closely with the design team on structural concepts, packaging and design iterations, and with the analysis team on load cases, FEA setup, results review and design validation
• Perform structural analysis (static, buckling, modal and load-path studies) and validate designs against test results
• Select materials and layup schedules across composites (carbon, glass, aramid, core materials) and metals
• Define composite layup and manufacturing processes together with the technician team
• Design for manufacturability across CNC machining, mould/tooling and composite fabrication
• Release drawings with correct tolerances and GD&T; support the build, assembly and inspection of parts
• Support structural testing (coupon, component and ground tests) and feed results back into design
• Run design iterations quickly in a research and development setting

Requirements

• Experience at a startup or research lab only (we are not considering candidates from large corporate or traditional OEM backgrounds)
• Previous experience in UAV structural design
• CAD proficiency in SolidWorks, Fusion 360 and CATIA
• Strong FEA skills, with working knowledge of Abaqus and ANSYS Structural
• Solid grounding in material science: metals, composites, failure modes, fatigue and stiffness/strength trade-offs
• Familiarity with composites and hands-on understanding of composite layup techniques
• Practical experience with composite manufacturing techniques (wet layup, vacuum bagging, prepreg, curing cycles)
• Practical experience with CNC machining and designing parts for CNC
• Ability to collaborate across design, analysis and manufacturing teams, and communicate structural trade-offs clearly
• B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech in Aerospace, Mechanical or related engineering
• Willingness to work in shifts and in a fast-paced, R&D-driven environment

Good to Have

• Knowledge of open-source tools (e.g., CalculiX, FreeCAD, Code_Aster, Gmsh, ParaView)
• Experience with composite-specific analysis (laminate theory, ply-level failure criteria)
• Experience with structural testing and instrumentation (strain gauges, load rigs)
• Exposure to defence or aerospace structures
• Scripting for automation (Python/MATLAB)