Position Summary:
The Structures Engineer – Airworthiness Certification is responsible for the structural substantiation and certification evidence supporting airworthiness of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). This includes loads analysis, strength and fatigue/damage tolerance substantiation, structural dynamics, and coordination of static and fatigue test programs to satisfy the structures criteria.
Core Responsibilities:
• Develop and execute the structural certification plan, defining methods of compliance for each applicable structures criterion in the airworthiness compliance matrix
• Perform and/or oversee loads analysis (flight loads, ground loads, landing gear loads, gust/turbulence) to establish the structural design envelope
• Develop strength substantiation (static strength margins of safety) using analysis, test, or a combination, per the certification basis
• Develop fatigue and damage tolerance substantiation, including safe-life or damage-tolerant design approaches, to establish airframe service life and inspection intervals
• Plan, coordinate, and witness structural test programs (static test, fatigue test, ground vibration test/GVT) and correlate test results against analytical predictions
• Address structural dynamics requirements, including flutter/aeroelastic stability, vibration, and landing gear shimmy as applicable
• Coordinate with materials/processes, manufacturing, and quality engineering to substantiate critical material properties, key characteristics, and NDI accept/reject criteria
• Support weight and balance substantiation and its interaction with structural margins
• Maintain structural certification evidence packages and traceability (e.g., DOORS or similar RM tool) linking requirements, analysis, test evidence, and closure
• Interface with the certifying authority's structures technical area expert and support airworthiness board reviews for structures-related findings
• Support failure investigations and corrective action for structural anomalies discovered during test or fielded operation
Required Qualifications:
• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (M.S. preferred)
• 5+ years structural engineering experience in aircraft or aerospace structures, ideally with 2+ years directly supporting airworthiness/structural certification
• Working knowledge of aircraft structural substantiation methods: static strength, fatigue and damage tolerance, structural dynamics/flutter
• Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516B (or equivalent airworthiness criteria framework) and applicable structures specifications (e.g., MIL-A-8860 series, MIL-STD-1530 damage tolerance/durability requirements)
• Experience with structural analysis tools (e.g., NASTRAN, ANSYS, or equivalent FEA software)
• Experience supporting or interpreting static/fatigue structural test programs
• Requirements management tool experience (DOORS, Cameo, or similar)
Preferred / Desirable:
• Direct UAS program experience (Group II–V), particularly composite or hybrid metallic/composite airframe structures
• Experience with damage tolerance/durability analysis per MIL-STD-1530 or FAA-equivalent methods
• Experience with ground vibration testing (GVT) and flutter/aeroelastic analysis
• Experience supporting a formal airworthiness board or Flight Release process
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) license
Pay Range: $150K - $200K
Corsair Technical Services is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
