Aerostructure Designer
Sogeclair · Wichita
Aerostructure (Airframe) Designer – Missionized Aircraft
The Aerostructure Designer focuses on the design, integration, and modification of aircraft primary and secondary structures to support the conversion of green (baseline) aircraft into missionized configurations. The successful candidate will develop detailed design solutions, interface with multidisciplinary teams, and ensure that all airframe modifications meet structural integrity, manufacturability, and certification requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and develop structural modifications and installations for mission equipment, antennas, sensors, and payload systems.
- Create and update 3D models, assemblies, and detailed drawings using CATIA V5/V6, ensuring adherence to aerospace standards and best practices.
- Integrate mission systems or structural modifications into the aircraft primary structure while maintaining load paths, weight balance, and structural efficiency.
- Perform preliminary structural analyses and coordinate with stress and loads teams to validate design integrity.
- Develop conceptual and detailed design layouts for fuselage, wing, empennage, and internal structure modifications.
- Ensure all designs comply with airworthiness, certification, and customer-specific requirements.
- Collaborate with manufacturing, methods, and installation teams to ensure designs are producible, maintainable, and cost-effective.
- Support design reviews, configuration control, and engineering change management activities.
- Interface with suppliers and partners for the development and validation of mission-specific structural components.
- Provide on-site engineering support during aircraft modification and installation phases.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Structural Engineering.
- 8-10+ years of experience in airframe design for commercial or military aircraft.
- 15,000–20,000 hours of CATIA (V5 or V6) experience in part, product, and assembly design.
- Strong understanding of aircraft primary structures, load paths, joints, and material behaviors (metallic and composite).
- Proven ability to design and integrate missionized systems into existing aircraft configurations.
- Familiarity with aircraft certification standards (FAR/CS 23, 25, or military equivalents).
- Excellent knowledge of GD&T, configuration management, and PLM environments (e.g., ENOVIA, SmarTeam).
- Strong teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with special mission or ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) aircraft modifications.
- Familiarity with composite structure design and integration.
- Previous involvement in supplemental type certificate (STC) programs or modification centers.
- Experience working in close collaboration with OEMs and mission system integrators