Tactical Air Vehicle Configuration Lead

Astro Mechanica • Full-time • San Francisco, California, United States • $125k - $225k / year • 1w ago

ABOUT US:

Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company building a faster, more connected future. Our mission is to democratize high-speed flight by making supersonic travel flexible, accessible, and sustainable. We believe that rapid, on-demand, point-to-point global mobility will become the new standard for moving people and goods across the planet. To achieve this, we are integrating our advanced airframe and engine technologies—which include Duality™, our proprietary dual-use propulsion system—with a new flight operations model to make supersonic transport as efficient and economical as commercial air travel is today. In the near term, we are developing adaptable, high-speed systems to close aircraft performance gaps for the United States government.

WHO WE ARE:

We're a team of hardcore engineers who live and breathe aerospace. We’re generalists who each have subject matter expertise and operate in a flat organizational structure. We move fast and build world-changing technology in a pragmatic and competent workplace culture.

WHO YOU ARE:

Astro Mechanica is seeking an Air Vehicle Configuration Lead to join our growing team. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of air vehicle design, shaping, and integration, and excels in developing new air vehicle concepts. Your expertise in parametric modeling for Multi-Disciplinary Optimization (MDO), vehicle integration, and surface design/loft will spearhead the conceptual design of our advanced aircraft.

In this role, you will shape next-generation air vehicles for U.S. Department of Defense customers, driving innovation from early concepts to validated configurations. Your work will directly influence affordability, mission effectiveness, survivability, and performance at the system level. You’ll be at the center of design decisions that balance cutting-edge capability with manufacturability and real-world constraints.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Serve as a lead configurator, managing a growing team of configuration engineers
Own the overall air vehicle layout, translating high-level requirements into viable conceptual designs in an Agile environment
Lead quick-turn iterative trade studies to assess range, speed, survivability, and propulsion integration impacts
Work with the multi-disciplinary project team to support air vehicle and propulsion trade studies and develop conceptual designs that address warfighter gaps, while engaging directly with customers to align on design priorities and program goals
Develop and refine vehicle configurations using 2D sketches and 3D CAD tools
Guide the transition from early concept to detailed design, helping define substructure and analysis paths for down-selected configurations

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field and 5 years of experience supporting the design and modeling of advanced air vehicle concepts OR 10+ years of experience designing or serving as a configurator on major fixed-wing, manned or unmanned tactical aircraft programs from conceptual design through prototyping and testing
Demonstrated proficiency with an industry standard design tool such as Siemens NX, CATIA V5, or ProE CAD
Previous success in technical leadership roles, mentoring teams and driving innovation
Familiarity with digital engineering practices and model-based design workflows
Track record of developing novel designs for challenging fixed-wing aerospace applications
Current active in-scope DoD Secret security clearance or higher

PERKS AND BENEFITS:

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
401(k) program and transparent stock option plan
Self-managed and flexible time-off policy, including PTO, paid holidays, and sick time
Flexible work environment
Company-funded perks, including weekly team lunches and Astro Mechanica swag

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Astro Mechanica is an equal opportunity employer. We proudly recruit and hire a diverse workforce and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.