Structural Engineer UAV H/F

About Alta Ares Alta Ares is an air defense Neoprime. We build AI-guided interceptors to counter drones and cruise missiles, along with the software platform that powers them.

Our customers are NATO-aligned militaries and defense institutions, and our systems are regularly deployed during live exercises and operational demonstrations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Founded in 2024, we have grown to 90 people, raised over $60M, and increased revenue 40× this year. We are now entering a new phase of international expansion, industrial scaling, fundraising, and product development.

ROLE & Missions: STRUCTURAL DESIGN & ANALYSIS

• Design and analyze the primary and secondary composite structures of our interceptor airframes (fuselage, wings/control surfaces, internal load-bearing components)
• Perform structural and stress analysis combining hand calculations and finite element analysis (FEA) to justify margins under static, dynamic, and high-acceleration loads
• Define and document load paths, free-body diagrams, and failure modes for all major structural elements
• Own composite laminate design, layup schedules, and bonding/joining strategies for carbon fiber structures

WEIGHT & PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION

• Aggressively optimize structural weight without compromising strength, given the platform's speed and maneuverability requirements
• Work with Aerodynamics and Propulsion teams to balance structural mass, CG, and vibration constraints against flight performance targets
• Evaluate design trade-offs between composite and metallic/CNC solutions where each makes sense

TESTING & VALIDATION

• Support structural, vibration, shock, and environmental qualification testing of airframe components and subassemblies

• Analyze test and flight data to identify failure modes, including:

• Fatigue and fracture

• CG shifts

• Vibration-induced damage

• Support fast structural repairs and troubleshooting during flight test campaigns

MANUFACTURABILITY & PRODUCTION

• Work directly with manufacturing partners and internal fabrication teams to ensure designs are manufacturable, repeatable, and cost-effective at scale
• Get hands-on with composite fabrication and bonding to understand how parts are actually built, not just how they're modeled
• Support the transition of airframe structures from prototype to serial production

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

• Work closely with Aerodynamics, Propulsion, and Manufacturing engineers to resolve cross-disciplinary design conflicts
• Communicate structural decisions and analysis clearly to non-structural stakeholders
• Contribute to design reviews and structural documentation standards as the team scales

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Over 3 years of experience as a Structures Engineer, Stress Engineer, or Structural Analyst, ideally on aircraft, UAVs, or other flight vehicles
• Engineering degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Strong foundation in classical stress analysis: free-body diagrams, load paths, hand calculation methods
• Practical experience with FEA tools (e.g. NX Nastran, FEMAP, ANSYS, Simcenter 3D, or equivalent)
• Solid understanding of composite materials, laminate design, and bonding/joining techniques for carbon fiber or fiberglass structures
• Proficiency in CAD tools for structural design (Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or equivalent)
• Hands-on mindset and ability to work effectively with physical hardware, not just analysis in isolation
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving startup environment with tight timelines and evolving requirements
• Fluent in English

NICE TO HAVE

• Hands-on experience with composite fabrication (layup, vacuum bagging, curing)
• Familiarity with composite-specific CAD tools (e.g. Fibersim)
• Experience designing structures for high-speed, high-acceleration, or expendable/attritable aircraft (interceptors, target drones, munitions)
• A track record of taking a structure from concept to flight, not just to a design study
• Exposure to military or defense-grade qualification standards
• Experience in fast-paced or startup environments