Jobs at LTA

Performs structural analysis and mechanical design for aerospace and lighter-than-air vehicle structures. Develops finite element models, conducts static, buckling, modal, joint, and hand analyses, correlates models with test data, and documents results. Supports design trades, prototyping, fabrication, testing, and resolution of structural issues. Collaborates across systems, avionics, materials, manufacturing, and testing teams while helping integrate structural components from concept through detailed CAD.

Serves as a principal-level systems safety authority for lighter-than-air vehicle programs. Owns system safety assessments, certification strategy, verification, and integration across multidisciplinary teams. Applies MBSE and safety-analysis methods, leads regulatory interactions and audits, defines architectures and certification artifacts, resolves complex cross-system issues, and mentors engineers. Requires extensive aerospace certification experience with FAA/EASA and ARP4754A/ARP4761, plus expertise in systems architecture, requirements, verification, and technical leadership.

Lead system-level safety, verification, certification, and architecture for complex lighter-than-air aircraft programs. Own SSAs and analyses including FHA, PSSA, FMEA/FMECA, and FTA; establish MBSE, requirements, integration, and certification strategies; coordinate regulatory compliance and certification artifacts; guide multidisciplinary engineering teams; mentor senior engineers; manage supplier and airworthiness-authority partnerships; and resolve ambiguous cross-system anomalies.

Conduct weekly flight test operations for a sub-scale airship, including preparation, execution, troubleshooting, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and flight-data analysis. Support flight software and hardware integration, flight-test planning, GNC analysis, mechanical component iteration, embedded systems, telemetry processing, and simulation-model improvements. The role requires Python or C++, PX4, CAN, motor and ESC knowledge, CAD familiarity, and collaboration in rapid build-test-fix cycles.

Design and validate complex mechanical, thermal, and fluid systems for flight and ground equipment. Produce CAD models and GD&T drawings, run FEA and thermal/structural analyses, plan and oversee qualification testing, ensure manufacturability with manufacturing partners, and resolve failures via root-cause analysis while collaborating across engineering teams.

Lead development and execution of flight test programs for a large rigid airship: write test plans, THAs, and reports; direct ground and flight test operations; perform post-flight data analysis; contribute to operational manuals and safety reviews; coordinate across engineering, pilots, and operations.

Design, execute, and document verification, validation, and qualification tests for aerospace materials, parts, and systems. Collaborate with design engineers to identify failure modes, develop test plans and procedures, lead new test capability development (including DAQ), analyze test data, and produce technical reports and recommendations. Support and guide test technicians.