Lead Vehicle Design Engineer

Lead Vehicle Design Engineer

Job Summary:

Specter Aerospace is seeking an experienced Vehicle Design Engineer to lead rapid development of high-speed airbreathing testbed vehicles. A successful candidate will have previous experience leading the development of missile systems or major components of launch vehicles. They will have the opportunity to take a hypersonic flight test vehicle from concept design through first flight, while leading and expanding a vehicle design team.

About Specter Aerospace:

Specter Aerospace is building the next generation of hypersonic vehicles for defense and commercial applications. Specter is headquartered in Peabody, MA, just north of Boston, where it leverages its advanced propulsion technologies, manufacturing, and testing capabilities to rapidly develop supersonic and hypersonic systems. Funded by a mix of government R&D organizations, commercial customers, and private funding, Specter is a growing aerospace and defense startup. Close relationships with MIT, Notre Dame, AFRL, NRL, ANL, and other research organizations provide access to cutting-edge developments, facilities, and personnel. Specter is expanding its team in preparation for flight testing and full-scale production.

Role & Responsibilities:

·         Reporting to the Director of Flight Sciences, serve as the Responsible Engineer of an airbreathing hypersonic flight test vehicle

·         Lead a vehicle design team from existing concept design through flight test

·         Work with Propulsion, Modeling & Simulation, and Manufacturing groups to efficiently design and optimize novel flight systems to meet internal and customer performance requirements

·         Manage development timelines to meet internal and customer deadlines

·         Design vehicle configurations and components using aerospace design best practices, proprietary optimization tools, and test and analysis data

·         Conduct detailed design and mechanical analyses as needed to ensure lightweight structures perform under expected loads

·         Work with other design engineers, analysists, and component/subsystem REs to ensure all necessary systems are integrated on hypersonic vehicles

·         Own documentation of requirements, design decisions, analyses, and performance outcomes for vehicles and subsystems

·         Lead freejet and flight test campaigns for supersonic and hypersonic vehicles

·         Lead technical meetings, engage in technical discussions, and contribute perspectives

·         Other duties as assigned by the company

Job Requirements:

·         Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field

·         7 years of relevant full time experience

·         Experience with CAD (Solidworks or NX) and vehicle configuration management

·         Previous experience in leading aerospace design cycles or as a system-level RE

·         Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in a fast-paced environment

·         Strong understanding of mechanical design, material selection, and Design for Manufacture

·         Strong collaborative skills and a drive to produce quality work

·         Available for up to 10% travel for test activities

·         Ability to obtain a DoD security clearance (U.S. Citizenship required)

*All new employees must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check

Desired Skills:

·         Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

·         CFD and FEA experience with relevant tools (StarCCM, CFD , Vulcan, Simsolid, NASTRAN, etc.)

·         Experience with static and dynamic mechanical systems in flight load scenarios

·         Previous missile design experience

·         Past work in stage separation systems, flight termination systems, and range safety processes

·         Previous experience with RCC-319, USAFSEO, airworthiness certification process

·         Familiarity with aerospace and military standards such as MIL-HDBK-244A/1763/240A, MIL-STD-1289/8591,9977, 8870,810, etc.

·         Prior work in secure/classified environments

More About Specter Aero:

·         https://specteraerospace.com/

·         https://www.linkedin.com/company/specteraerospace/mycompany/

·         https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/specter-aerospace-reveals- plasma-ignited-hypersonic-missile

·         https://www.kairosventures.com/specter-aerospace/