Structures Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles | On-Site Opportunity | Fastwater Staffing

HIKINEX is hiring a Structures Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles | On-Site Opportunity | Fastwater Staffing in Costa Mesa, CA. This full-time role offers an on-site position for engineers focused on the structural challenges of advanced high-speed flight systems.

Position Summary

The Structures Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles | On-Site Opportunity | Fastwater Staffing at HIKINEX in Costa Mesa, CA supports the design, analysis, and evaluation of airframe and structural systems for hypersonic platforms. The successful candidate will apply solid mechanics principles to ensure load paths, stiffness, and durability meet mission requirements under extreme thermal and aerodynamic environments. Working on-site, this full-time Structures Engineer contributes to multidisciplinary vehicle development efforts while maintaining rigorous technical documentation and configuration control.

Core Duties

• Conduct detailed structural sizing, stress analysis, and trade studies for primary and secondary structures on hypersonic air vehicles
• Generate finite-element models and perform linear and nonlinear analyses to predict deflections, residual strength, and failure modes
• Evaluate material selections and joint concepts appropriate for high-temperature environments
• Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, and thermal teams to resolve multi-physics design conflicts
• Prepare technical reports, drawings, and presentations that document analysis results and design recommendations
• Support hardware build, ground test, and flight-test data correlation activities
• Identify structural risks early and propose mitigations that preserve performance, mass, and schedule targets

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated knowledge of structural analysis methods applicable to high-speed or hypersonic vehicle airframes
• Hands-on experience with finite-element tools and post-processing for stress and strain evaluation
• Familiarity with metallic and composite materials used in elevated-temperature structures
• Ability to interpret free-body diagrams, load spectra, and environmental spectra
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional coordination
• Willingness to work full-time on-site in Costa Mesa, CA

Working at HIKINEX

HIKINEX is hiring for this role and offers a supportive team environment.

How to Apply

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