Chief Engineer, Aircraft

About the Company

Re-invent the jet engine for a new Jet Age. Our client is replacing conventional aircraft and transforming the world’s relationship to time and space – flying faster, farther, and more efficiently.

This position is based in San Francisco, CA. More company details will be shared during an initial call.

About the Role

Our client is looking for a Chief Engineer, Aircraft to join their growing team. The ideal candidate is a proven leader, communicator, and problem solver capable of rising to any challenge in a dynamic startup environment. Your work will have a direct impact on business outcomes. It will be fast-paced, requiring you to adapt quickly.

In this role, your mission will be to own the end-to-end design of the supersonic aircraft design. You will build a team of 2+ people to accelerate your work and will be responsible for growing and mentoring them. The Aircraft team is one of the 3 core pillars of the company making this role one of their most senior and critical hires. You are a great fit if you have past experience with supersonics.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical oversight and design of the initial prototype and production aircrafts

• Responsible for the design and analysis process including: conceptual design, detailed aircraft performance analysis, stability and control analysis, and detailed geometry design

• Oversee the structures work including: loads analysis, structural analysis, aeroelasticity, and structural testing and ground vibration tests, among others.

• Collaborate on the systems layout

• Build and develop the aircraft design team

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. PhD preferred

• Direct experience in supersonics

• Ideally a combination of experience in more established companies and more dynamic startup environments

• Track record building and growing a team of technical airframe specialists and analysts

• Deep technical background in CFD and FEA

• Fundamental understanding of aircraft load paths, composite structures, detailed design and fabrication

• Experience selecting and managing relationships with third party vendors

• Aeroelastic analysis, acoustic modeling, and rotor dynamics simulation

Benefit Highlights

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

• Competitive pay and transparent stock option plan

• Flexible work environment

• Self-managed time-off policy

ITAR Requirement

• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Additional Information

Our client highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. They consider working in the office five days a week to be an essential function of the employee's role.

Equal Opportunity

Our client is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We proudly recruit and hire a diverse workforce and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

About AdAstra

This position is a direct hire, permanent placement for a client of AdAstra.

AdAstra's mission is building thriving teams within elite NewSpace and Clean Tech organizations.

Our commitment is to curate and close premier talent for our partners, achieved via specialized technical screening, personalized culture assessment, and high-touch candidate engagement. We are motivated to foster boundless team satisfaction and catalyze innovation for future generations, enabling inconceivable technology from Earth, to the stars.

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adastrata

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