Virgin Galactic is seeking a Specialist Stress Engineer eager to participate in innovative/unique aerospace vehicle design, build, test activities. Guided by our values, "Safety Above All", we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions. The responsibilities will range from early concept and development, through full production, life cycle, and sustainment.
The Specialist Engineer will be tasked with addressing and solving the most difficult engineering challenges throughout all phases of the program life cycle. The Specialist Stress Engineer will support the vehicle life cycle via hands-on assessment and analytical substantiation of vehicles in a fast-paced, multi-disciplinary environment.
Stress Engineers will collaborate across other disciplines, including but not limited to: Structures Design, Maintenance & Operations teams, Manufacturing, Propulsion, Flight Test and more to provide design substantiation, test support, and operations support. Specialist Stress Engineers will be able to function both independently and as part of a team in support of their tasking. Maintain focus on timeliness and execution of tasks and deliverables every day.
This position can be located in Mesa, AZ or in Tustin, CA working 4 days on-site and 1 day remote.
Responsibilities - Develop technical solutions to complex problems that require regular ingenuity and creativity
- Perform structural analysis to provide analytical definition and/or ensure structural integrity of components, assemblies, and systems
- Develop and/or utilize finite element models (global and discrete)
- Create, review, and update engineering analytical definition of components and assemblies (analysis documentation)
- Prepare clear and concise reports that collect, analyze, and summarize information
- Provide technical review and approval of engineering documentation including stress plans, procedures, reports and associated designs
- Participate in various technical reviews, provide input on structural integrity and safety, and verify that technical requirements are properly achieved
- Identify errors, omissions, other deficiencies, and recommend revisions and/or improvements in analyses and/or design layouts to responsible engineers
- Identify process deficiencies and develop solutions to improve those deficiencies
- Play an integral role in the workflow release process for structural designs
- Support review of manufacturing plans and procedures to ensure compliance with design and load requirements
- Support the creation of structural component and system test plans which will be used to verify manufacturing and testing
- Support production and operations teams to ensure vehicle readiness for flight. This includes involvement in fabrication, implementation, and MRB activities
- Lead and coordinate the activities of a team of stress engineers within an assigned project
- Lead by example and inspire team collaboration with various engineering stakeholders during the design, production, integration, test, delivery, and operation of air/space vehicles
- Develop stress analysis tools and methodologies
- Participate in the continuous improvement of stress analysis methods and processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy
- Contribute to internal technical standards, templates, and lessons learned databases
- Manage multiple responsibilities
- Coach and Mentor more junior team members, transfer expertise to drive projects to completion
- Work collaboratively to achieve goals and/or complete assigned tasks
Required Skills and Experience - Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with a concentration in a relevant Engineering discipline
- Minimum 12 years prior experience in structural analysis or "Stress-adjacent" disciplines of aerospace engineering (examples: Loads, Methods, Durability and Damage Tolerance)
- Excellent understanding of material properties & behavior, statics / free body diagrams, and structural load paths.
- Strong foundational knowledge and understanding of stress analysis procedures, failure modes, failure theories, and applicable calculations
- Knowledge creating and interrogating FEA models, including pre and post processing of NASTRAN models and associated sizing of structure and system components
- Strong teamwork and coordination skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite of tools, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Proficiency with MATLAB, Mathcad, and other industry standard stress analysis software
- Demonstrate willingness to adjust thinking and behavior.
- Ability to communicate in a manner that is timely, respectful, and open to other ideas
Preferred Skills and Experience - Previous experience with FEMAP, HyperX, TMP Slim/Vision, NASTRAN
- Previous experience CATIA V5/V6/3DX and ENOVIA V5/V6/3DX
- In-depth knowledge of aircraft composites structural analysis and familiarity with industry standards for the manufacture, repair, and assembly of components
- Significant prior work experience analyzing aircraft/spacecraft primary, secondary, and bonded composite structures
- Knowledge of and / or experience with Fatigue & Damage Tolerance analysis
- Experience performing crack growth analysis with NASGRO
- Experience with composite-material modeling and laminate theory
- Experience participating in multidisciplinary design reviews
- Prior experience performing liaison / MRB activities in aerospace stress applications
- Familiarity with MRB tasks associated with dispositioning non-conformant metallic and composite components resulting from manufacturing, assembly, or field operations
- Experience with manufacturing-based ERP systems, such as Oracle
- Experience with Product Lifecycle Management tools (PLM software), requirements management tools, and configuration management.
- Proficient in coding / macro creation in one or more programming languages (VBA, Python, C++, etc)
- A high degree of autonomy, creativity, ability to work quickly and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment as part of a team or individually
- Strong time management and organizational skills
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively with peers and leadership
- Experience in authoring or providing input for the authoring of standards and manuals.
- Experience managing and leading small to medium sized teams of varying skillsets.
- Experience with the design of flight vehicles or vehicle systems to a set of requirements or standards such as CFR 14, Part 400, Part 23 and 25, military or NASA is highly desired
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The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $136,063.00-$207,596.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit
Who We Are Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles .
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To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list
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Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
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Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.
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For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.
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