Sr. Mechanical Engineering

Sr. Mechanical Engineer - Loads and Dynamics Analysis - Vibrations

About Zipline

Do you want to change the world? Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move. Our aim is to solve the world’s most urgent and complex access challenges by building the first instant logistics system that serves all humans equally. Leveraging expertise in robotics and autonomy, Zipline serves tens of millions of people around the world.

Join Zipline and help us to make good on our promise to build an equitable and more resilient global supply chain for billions of people.

About You and The Role

You enjoy solving complex structural problems using first principles analysis coupled with system level finite element models (FEM).  You will be responsible for characterizing mechanical dynamics and developing aircraft and ground system vibration loads from conceptual architecture phase through qualification testing. In this role you will own all aspects of flight & ground loads development including setting and upholding analysis requirements, processes, and standards. This role works closely with structures and subsystem engineers to define stiffness and load requirements needed to meet system goals as well as jumping in to design and analyze hardware when needed. You will work closely with Reliability and Test Engineering to identify, investigate, and root cause failures discovered in testing and in the field. 

How to know if it's you: You’ve built your own prototypes to get quick answers, pencil and paper calculations are always your first step, you prefer simple and fast over detailed and large, you are on the floor during system testing, you have never presented a FEM plot without adjusting the legend scale. On any given day you could be building test articles in our composites/ prototype labs, developing simple models to inform design trade studies, performing structural tests to validate analysis, working across disciplines to tackle complex system level challenges, root causing a test or field failure, or in the field supporting flight tests.

Zipline was founded by engineers dedicated to making the world a better place. We are building a new global industry and are looking for a talented engineer who takes a hands-on approach and will use analysis to drive design. The ideal candidate will be someone who excels in a fast paced, dynamic environment and is excited to own and drive simple, elegant solutions to complex problems that will help save lives every day. 

What You’ll Do

• Dynamics and Shock Analysis
• Serve as the subject matter expert in shock and vibration analysis at Zipline, owning the solutions to the company’s most challenging and complex cross functional shock and vibration projects
• Develop subsystem level shock and vibration test specifications for aircraft systems from flight test and simulation data
• Predict response to transient dynamic events such as impact, launch, recovery, parachute deployment, bird strike, and motor imbalance
• Work with Aero & GNC teams to translate aeroelastic loads into shock and vibration load cases
• Define program loads requirements and methodologies for developing dynamic loads, including developing and maintaining a loads database that envelopes all air vehicle shock and vibration load cases
• Build and document standardized in-house tools and processes to develop shock and vibration loads
• Experimental Correlation of Flight and Test Data
• Lead vehicle level Ground Vibration Test campaigns
• Conduct modal and shaker tests, including pre-test predictions, instrumentation locations, and post test data analysis to tune results to within 5% of test
• Identify and define when test correlation is required to validate simulation models, including static, dynamic, aerodynamic, and flight tests
• Rapidly resolve test issues (hours) and provide corrective action direction for issues found in qualification testing
• Work closely with design and test engineers to determine test requirements
• Vehicle Structural Analysis
• Evaluate and optimize flight system for structural loads, vibration modes, and deflections
• Perform dynamic analysis, including structural modes, random vibration, and forced harmonic vibration
• Drive design trades with data from lightweight FEMs (Beams/Shells) that can be rapidly updated (daily) to match evolving configurations
• Work with cross functional engineers to design and analyze structures for robustness against shock and vibration load cases

What You’ll Bring

• Passion for and demonstrated history of solving complex engineering challenges
• Minimum 5 years experience performing loads and dynamics analysis at both part and system levels
• Familiarity with structural dynamics, aerodynamic loads, and control systems
• Experience with industry standard analysis tools (Siemens NX, FEMAP/NX Nastran, Siemens Simcenter, ZAERO/ZONAIR, RCAS, MATLAB)
• History of working with cross functional teams to solve complex engineering problems

What Else You Need to Know