Senior Structure Analysis Engineer
Location: Playa Vista, California (in-person, five days per week)
Outpost is pioneering Earth return logistics for space. We're building vehicles that can return payloads from orbit safely and precisely—enabling faster space-based manufacturing, global delivery, and entirely new capabilities in the space economy. Our spacecraft is already backed by the U.S. government with multiple missions ahead. We’re a mission-focused team, building with urgency, grit, and care for the work we do and the people we do it with.
The Role
We’re looking for a Senior Structure Analysis Engineer to own structural and thermal analysis across flight hardware, from early design through flight readiness and production. This role sits at the center of engineering decision-making. You will be responsible for ensuring hardware is analytically sound, flight-worthy, and properly dispositioned - working closely with mechanical design, avionics, test, manufacturing, and systems teams.
Responsibilities
- Own structural analysis of primary and secondary spacecraft structures, including but not limited to:
- Modal analysis
- Random vibration
- Static and quasi-static loading
- Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) and thermo-elastic loading
- Perform analysis on a wide range of hardware, including:
- Flight structures and mechanisms
- Avionics enclosures
- PCB and electronics assemblies
- Lead or support thermal analysis to evaluate operating margins, gradients, and coupled structural-thermal effects
- Serve as a technical authority for hardware disposition:
- Assess flight and test hardware prior to production
- Support nonconformance (NCR) resolution and root-cause analysis
- Provide clear, defensible recommendations for accept-as-is, repair, or rework decisions
- Partner closely with design and test teams to translate requirements into analysis models and to correlate analysis with test result
- Contribute to analysis methodologies, best practices, and documentation that scale with the program.
Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience, with at least 5 years analyzing complex aerospace components.
- Bachelors required, Masters preferred in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
- Proficiency in ANSYS FEM software (NASTRAN, FEMAP, Abaqus and similar acceptable)
- Senior-level expertise in either structural or thermal analysis, with demonstrated proficiency in the alternate discipline.
- Strong experience applying analysis to real flight hardware - not just academic models.
- Deep understanding of aerospace loading environments, material behavior, and margin assessment.
- Experience supporting hardware through test, flight qualification, and production.
- Ability to work hands-on in a fast-moving, on-site hardware environment and communicate technical results clearly to cross-functional teams.
- Experience analyzing space rated avionics and structures is a plus.
- Is able to work independently with little guidance of more senior team members.
- Shows ability to develop new and relevant skills beyond core technical function.
- Is able to consistently identify and propose solutions to technical problems in their function.
Compensation & Benefits
- 140,000 – 180,000, Salary may vary with experience
- Incentive Equity
- Annual Performance-Based Bonus
- Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Life Insurance
- PTO
- 401k with Company match
- Subsidized daily catered lunch, snacks and coffee
You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 ,or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State
