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Principal Aerospace Engineer

Fort Worth, TX, US • Posted 23 hours ago • Updated 10 hours ago

Full Time

On-site

USD $160,000.00 - 195,000.00 per year

Fitment

Dice Job Match Score™

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Job Details

Skills

Startups
Customer Engagement
Scalability
Layout
MASS
Technical Drafting
Performance Analysis
Assembly
Technical Support
Configuration Management
Avionics
Systems Engineering
Supply Chain Management
Test Plans
Quality Assurance
Mentorship
Proposal Writing
Roadmaps
Structural Engineering
Adobe AIR
Decision-making
Communication
IT Management
Manufacturing
Management
Aerospace
Testing
Computer Hardware
Conflict Resolution
Problem Solving
AV
Audiovisual

Startups
Customer Engagement
Scalability
Layout
MASS
Technical Drafting
Performance Analysis
Assembly
Technical Support
Configuration Management
Avionics
Systems Engineering
Supply Chain Management
Test Plans
Quality Assurance
Mentorship
Proposal Writing
Roadmaps
Structural Engineering
Adobe AIR
Decision-making
Communication
IT Management
Manufacturing
Management
Aerospace
Testing
Computer Hardware
Conflict Resolution
Problem Solving
AV
Audiovisual

Summary

Principal Aerospace Engineer - Fixed-Wing UAS Design and Production

Fort Worth, Texas | On-site

Opportunity Summary

A venture-backed aerospace and defense startup developing advanced unmanned aircraft systems is seeking a Principal Aerospace Engineer to lead fixed-wing aircraft design efforts across development, flight validation, and production readiness activities. Backed by active government programs and early customer engagement, the company is focused on building scalable air vehicle platforms capable of rapid iteration, manufacturability, and operational deployment. This is a principal-level technical leadership role responsible for major air vehicle design decisions spanning conceptual development, aerodynamic configuration, structural integration, and production-aligned engineering execution. The engineer will help guide aircraft architecture from early concepts through prototype and production configurations while balancing performance, manufacturability, structural integrity, and mission requirements. The position is highly hands-on and ideal for someone experienced operating in fast-paced aerospace environments where engineering decisions directly influence flight capability, manufacturability, and long-term platform scalability.

About Us

We are an early-stage aerospace and defense company building advanced unmanned aircraft systems for government and commercial applications. The team operates in a highly collaborative engineering environment focused on rapid aircraft development, scalable manufacturing, and mission-driven system performance. Engineers work closely across disciplines to bring production-capable aerospace platforms from concept through testing and operational deployment.

Job Duties

Lead fixed-wing aircraft design activities including air vehicle configuration, aerodynamic layout, structural integration, and mass properties development
Own major aircraft trade studies related to payload integration, endurance, range, manufacturability, and overall system performance
Translate mission requirements into executable aircraft architectures and technical design baselines
Support conceptual aircraft sizing studies, performance analysis, and configuration down-select activities
Lead or oversee structural design efforts including material selection, load paths, joint concepts, and primary airframe architecture
Coordinate with analysis and manufacturing teams to ensure designs support scalable production and assembly efficiency
Drive design maturity from early prototype configurations through production-ready aircraft systems
Support engineering release activities, configuration management, and production readiness reviews
Work closely with manufacturing, avionics, systems engineering, supply chain, and quality teams to resolve design and producibility issues
Support ground and flight test planning, execution, and post-test design validation activities
Investigate test findings and implement corrective design improvements based on flight and hardware data
Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary engineering teams
Support future platform definition, proposal efforts, and long-term technical roadmap planning

Qualifications

10+ years of aerospace engineering experience with direct fixed-wing aircraft or unmanned aircraft system experience
Strong background in aircraft configuration development, aerodynamic design, or aerospace structural design
Experience owning major air vehicle design decisions from concept through prototype and production phases
Familiarity with manufacturability-driven aerospace design and production-aligned engineering practices
Experience supporting rapid aerospace development and iterative hardware programs
Strong first-principles engineering capability and technical decision-making judgment
Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering or related technical discipline
Ability to travel to test sites, production facilities, and customer locations as needed
Strong communication and cross-functional technical leadership skills

Preferred Experience

Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field
Experience with aluminum or composite aerospace structures
Familiarity with aircraft loads development, structural validation, or airworthiness processes
Experience supporting rapid flight test campaigns or operational aerospace programs
Exposure to design-to-cost initiatives and scalable aerospace manufacturing environments
Experience supporting missionized aerospace platforms or government-funded development programs

Why Join Us

Opportunity to help define next-generation unmanned aircraft systems from early development through production
Principal-level ownership with direct influence on aircraft architecture, performance, and manufacturability
Exposure to rapid aerospace development, flight testing, and scalable production environments
Collaborative engineering culture centered around real hardware execution and technical problem solving
Early-stage environment with significant technical ownership, visibility, and long-term growth opportunity

Compensation Details

$160,000 - $195,000

#LI-AV

Employers have access to artificial intelligence language tools (“AI”) that help generate and enhance job descriptions and AI may have been used to create this description. The position description has been reviewed for accuracy and Dice believes it to correctly reflect the job opportunity.

Dice Id: 80183540
Position Id: f6b91a5dafa9eb74e3f664894ca00a23
Posted 23 hours ago

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