Structural Systems Engineer

Sierra Lobo, offers customers a full range of professional and technical capabilities, including Test and Evaluation, Systems Engineering, and Advanced Technologies.  We also develop products and processes related to Cryogenic Fluid and Thermal Management Systems, Densified Propellant Management Systems, and Prototype Extreme Pressure and Temperature Systems.  Our customers include the Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

We are seeking Principal Structural Systems Engineers to support the design, development, integration, test and documentation of mechanical hardware for aerospace and space exploration programs for our government and commercial customers.

The ideal candidate working as a Structural Systems Engineer. In this role, you will:

• Perform structural design and analysis to ensure the structural integrity of subsystem and system-level hardware and the associated support structures.
• Perform structural analysis utilizing classical solutions and finite element analysis (FEA) method for flight projects and/or technology tasks and/or proposal developments.
• Perform detailed stress/structural analysis, dynamic analysis, and pre-test analysis.
• Build finite element models from scratch, using hand calculations when appropriate, to determine critical areas in structure and determine efficient and adequate approaches for analysis independently.

• Contribute to the design process of mechanical assemblies from engineering requirements to engineering drawings including suggestions and feedback on areas of concern based on analysis, mechanical intuition, and engineering judgement.
• Support formal and on-the-fly review of mechanical designs and analyses.

• Support and present analysis results at team, and technical reviews.
• Plan and support and conduct static, dynamic and pyro-shock tests and develop test reports.
• Perform tasks within team environment and collaborate on tasks that span the breadth of engineering disciplines.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline with a minimum of 20 years of related experience; or a Master’s degree with a minimum of 15 years related experience or PhD in similar disciplines.
• Intimate knowledge of NASA and JPL  design, analysis, and test standards, i.e. NASA-STD-5001, NASA-HDBK-7004, etc.

• Mastery of structural engineering, analysis, and verification of flight structures (spacecraft, instruments and GSE), composite structures, bonded joints, mechanisms, flexures opto-mechanical and thermo-mechanical assemblies.
• Advanced experience in MSC Nastran, NX-Nastran, Siemens Simcenter, FEMAP, Abaqus, MSC.ADAMS or LS-DYNA.
• Extensive knowledge of industry and/or academic practices and standards related to structural mechanics, finite element analysis, and structural verification testing.

Desired Skills:

• Experience in completing structural analysis of complex and unique flight mechanical systems and detailed analysis of its components.
• Ability to present structural margins & analyses to project management and provide design recommendations.
• Ability to develop and conduct structural verification test programs for space flight hardware.
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical, mechanism, and/or structural anomalies and failures.
• Ability to develop innovative design solutions to meet design requirements and resolve technical challenges.
• Knowledge of Standards for Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) per American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Y14.5.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent collaboration skills and ability to work across subject areas and organizations.