✈️ Principal Structures Engineer
Southern California (On-Site)
We’re supporting a defense technology company in Southern California developing advanced aerial systems for U.S. defense programmes.
This is a role that doesn’t come up often. Full technical ownership of primary airframe structure – concept through production – on platforms that go directly into operational use. You’d be the strongest technical voice on a lean, capable, and fast-growing engineering team. The person others come to when the hard problems land, and someone who genuinely wants to bring the engineers around them up with them.
The work:
- Primary and secondary airframe structure across the full development lifecycle
- First-principles structural analysis – hand calcs, load reviews, material selection, test correlation
- Design across composites, additive, and traditional manufacturing methods
- SolidWorks, GD&T, DVP&R, and hands-on prototyping
You might come from:
- Fixed-wing structural design in aerospace or defense
- A fast-paced environment where you’ve taken hardware from concept to flight
- A background mentoring and elevating engineers around you
What makes this different:
- Genuine technical authority in a high-trust environment
- Hardware with real-world operational impact
- Flexibility on hours – firm on Southern California, on-site
US citizenship required (ITAR).
$180,000-$215,000+ | Equity | Great benefits package | Relocation package available
Interested? Apply within or email the recruiter directly: kyle.gauntlett@darwinrecruitment.com
Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
Kyle Gauntlett