Mechanical Engineer - Structural Analysis & Fatigue

About Zipline

About You and The Role

You enjoy solving complex structural problems using first principles analysis coupled with system level finite element models (FEM). You will be responsible for the structural design and analysis of aircraft primary structure from conceptual architecture phase through qualification testing. In this role you will own the durability and damage tolerance analysis of flight and ground structures including setting and upholding analysis requirements, processes, and standards. This role will work closely with structures and subsystems engineers to design and analyze fracture and fatigue tolerant structures and interfaces that operate in extreme environments for years without inspection or maintenance. You will work closely with Reliability and Test Engineering to identify, investigate, and root cause failures discovered in testing and in the field. 

How to know if it's you: You’ve built your own prototypes to get quick answers, pencil and paper calculations are always your first step, you prefer simple and fast over detailed and large, you are on the floor during system testing, you have never presented a FEM plot without adjusting the legend scale. On any given day you could be building test articles in our composites/prototype labs, developing simple models to inform design trade studies, performing structural tests to validate analysis, working across disciplines to tackle complex system level challenges, root causing a test or field failure, or in the field supporting flight tests.

Zipline was founded by engineers dedicated to making the world a better place. We are building a new global industry and are looking for a talented engineer who takes a hands-on approach and will use analysis to drive design. The ideal candidate will be someone who excels in a fast paced, dynamic environment and is excited to own and drive simple, elegant solutions to complex problems that will help save lives every day. 

What You’ll Do

• Vehicle Structural Analysis
• Evaluate and optimize systems (flight and ground) for structural loads, vibration modes, and deflections
• Perform analysis and sizing of airframe primary and secondary structure including static, dynamic, stability and damage tolerance analysis for metallic and non-metallic structures
• Classical stress analysis (Roark/Bruhn) to do initial sizing
• Dynamic analysis, including structural modes, random vibration, and forced harmonic vibration
• Drive design trades with data from lightweight FEMs (Beams/Shells) that can be rapidly updated (daily) to match evolving configurations

• Durability and Damage Tolerance (DADT) Analysis
• Evaluate and optimize metallic, composite, and plastic structures (flight + ground) for resistance to fatigue and fracture
• Own and design elegant structural solutions for fracture critical components
• Define program DADT requirements and methodologies for developing and analyzing damage tolerant designs for composites, metallics, and plastics, including developing fatigue spectra for fracture critical components
• Quantify impact damage limits for metallic and composite structures
• Derive material property requirements and maximum allowable flaw size requirements for damage tolerant designs
• Assess and address nonconformances during manufacturing, testing, and field operations that may impact system DADT
• Build and document standardized in-house tools and processes to perform DADT analysis

• Experimental Correlation of Flight and Test Data
• Identify and define when test correlation is required to validate simulation models including static, dynamic, and flight tests
• Produce pre-test predictions, instrumentation locations, and post test data analysis to tune model stiffness and stress results within 5% of test
• Rapidly resolve test issues (hours) and provide corrective action direction for issues found in qualification testing
• Work closely with design and test engineers to determine test requirements and support vehicle level tests

What You’ll Bring

• Passion for and demonstrated history of solving complex engineering challenges
• Experience with durability and damage tolerance analysis of metallic, composite, and plastic structures
• Experience with industry standard analysis tools (Siemens NX, FEMAP/NX Nastran, AFGROW/ NASGRO, Siemens Simcenter, MATLAB)
• Vehicle/System level architecture analysis
• History of working with cross functional teams to solve complex engineering problems

What Else You Need to Know   

Last updated on Aug 28, 2023