The future of aerospace and defense starts here.
Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands.
The Senior/Staff Vehicle Structures Engineer is responsible for design, analysis, and integration of the primary and secondary structure for a cutting-edge hypersonic vehicle. This individual will be part of the technical organization, responsible for structural design, material selection, and ensuring airframe components meet extreme aerodynamic and thermal loads. This role will have ownership of vehicle hardware through the full lifecycle development from concept through flight testing.
Responsibilities
- Own the structural design and development of a hypersonic airframe components, including primary and secondary load-bearing structures.
- Assess structural load paths and materials to withstand high-speed flight environments.
- Support detailed structural analysis, including stress, thermal, vibration, and impact loading.
- Drive integration of composites, metals, and thermal protection systems for optimal vehicle performance.
- Collaborate with interfacing teams to ensure seamless hardware integration.
- Assemble and test first article prototypes.
- Execute structural test campaigns, including static, dynamic, and flight tests.
- Interface with contractors, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to ensure design feasibility and production readiness.
- Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
- 6-8+ years of experience in structural design and analysis for high-speed vehicles, aerospace platforms, or launch systems.
- Deep knowledge in composite structures, metallic airframes, and advanced materials.
- Experience with CAD tools (e.g., CATIA, NX, SolidWorks) for structural design.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing techniques, including composites layup, machining, and additive manufacturing.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with hypersonic vehicles, reentry systems, or high-Mach flight platforms.
- Knowledge of thermal protection systems and integrated aerothermal-structural design.
- Proficiency in FEA tools such as ANSYS, Abaqus, or NASTRAN for structural analysis.
- Hands-on experience with flight testing and structural validation.
Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $130,000- $170,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The salary range for this role is intentionally wide as we are evaluating individuals based on their unique experience and abilities to fit our needs. Most importantly, we are excited to meet you, and see if you are a great fit for our team. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy.
Benefits Include: (Please note, Interns are not eligible for benefits)
- Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement
- Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave
- Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)
- Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D
- Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport
- EAP Program
- Retirement Savings Plan - Traditional 401(k) and a Roth 401(k)
- Equity Grants in the Company
How To Apply:
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by filling out the application below and clicking "Submit Application". This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will remain open until filled or adjusted based on the volume of applicants.
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What the Team is Saying
What We Do
Ursa Major was founded to address a critical shortfall in the U.S. industrial base and bring a new model to aerospace and defense systems: we design and manufacture the world’s leading propulsion systems for space, hypersonic applications, and missile systems.
Our products and technologies require an extraordinary team – a team that will mold tomorrow’s technologies while deploying today’s best. We are an intrinsically motivated team that has a passion for solving problems and empowering each other every day to develop our skills, knowing that there is always room for growth.
Why Work With Us
We believe that each unique team member fuels the creativity necessary to build the world’s best propulsion systems. This is realized as a deeply held commitment to celebrating individuality, hiring talent across all backgrounds and experiences, building a culture of inclusion, and constantly challenging ourselves to improve.
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