About this role
Core Purpose
- To conceptualize, design, analyze, and validate fixed-wing, rotary-wing, or hybrid unmanned aircraft systems. This role bridges the gap between initial mission requirements and the physical aircraft, ensuring optimized aerodynamics, performance, structural integrity, and overall flight safety.
- Lifecycle Position: Involved across the entire product development cycle—from translating high-level mission needs into trade studies, down to supporting prototype fabrication and real-world flight testing.
Key Responsibilities & Deliverables
- Configuration & Sizing: Developing early aircraft layouts (wings, fuselage, control surfaces, payload integration) and executing sizing, mass properties estimation, and center-of-gravity (CG) tracking.
- Engineering Analysis: Predicting critical performance metrics (takeoff, cruise, endurance, service ceiling, stall speeds) and conducting aerodynamic and structural evaluation via CFD and FEA methods.
- Materials & CAD Modeling: Selecting optimized airfoils and structural materials while maintaining master 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, and technical data.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interfacing daily with propulsion, avionics, embedded systems, and manufacturing teams to optimize Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM/DFA).
- Core Deliverables: Aircraft conceptual design definitions, master CAD models/production drawings, aerodynamic/structural analysis sheets, weight/balance reports, and engineering change documentation.
Candidate Requirements
- Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineering with at least 3 years of relevant hands-on aircraft or UAV design experience.
- Technical Software Suite: Proficiency in standard CAD suites (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens NX) and engineering analysis platforms (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus, OpenFOAM, XFLR5, MATLAB/Simulink).
- Domain Competencies: Deep understanding of fluid/flight mechanics, aircraft structural layouts, and load paths. Preferred familiarity with composite design, electric/hybrid propulsion configurations, and aviation standards.
- Mindset & Soft Skills: Systems-level thinker with excellent documentation habits, high attention to detail, and a willingness to get hands-on during prototype assembly and field-range flight testing.
Application Closing Date
Not Specified.