Vibroacoustics and Shock Engineer

Job Summary

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future space systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly-trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments. 

The Vehicle Shock and Vibration Section provides technical expertise in the field of dynamic environments to a wide variety of launch and space programs in the defense and civil sectors. We specialize in test support and hardware issue disposition, standards development, technical risk assessments, review and independent generation of environmental design criteria, time and frequency domain signal analysis, and vibroacoustic analysis. Standard work duties range from long-lead projects to rapid turn requests which require quick engineering judgement and hardware intuition.

Our growing team is seeking a Vibroacoustics and Shock Engineer (Senior Member of Technical Staff/Engineering Specialist - Aeronautical and Acoustics Engineering) to help proactively expand and implement its vision for test practice and technical support to get in front of industry, and to increase its collaboration across technical disciplines within and outside of the organization

Work Model

This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, offering a hybrid work model that combines at least (3-4) regular onsite workdays and some remote flexibility as the business needs allow.

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Proactively identify areas of necessary development in environmental standards or analysis, work with management and engage teams to execute 
• Lead technical assessments and serve as point of contact on multiple programs/projects, coordinate and contribute to work within and outside of core team 
• Proficiency in dynamic environments testing and instrumentation selection/setup 
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to staff 
• Contribute to engagement with industry and command media updates to test philosophy and recommended practice for newer systems coming online in defense and civil sectors 
• Initiate outreach to other engineering departments and program offices to help solicit collaborative efforts and funding to advance the team’s technical and standards development work 
• Present technical and project status briefings to management, internal and external customers, and contractors 

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements for the Senior Member of Technical Staff - Aeronautical and Acoustics Engineering role: 

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field is required
• Minimum (5) years of relevant and applicable professional experience is required
• Experience in dynamic environments testing and instrumentation selection/setup 
• Working knowledge of finite element analysis approach and other computational methods for the solution of problems in structural dynamics and vibroacoustics 
• Working knowledge of statistical energy analysis and boundary element analysis 
• Experience in data processing and spectral analysis of dynamic signals 
• Familiarity with Falcon 9 launch vehicle dynamic environments and analysis processes  
• Ability to present results effectively in briefings and technical reports to teams, management, program offices, Air Force, and industry contractors 
• Familiarity with Python programming language 
• Willingness to occasionally travel and to work off-business hours to support customer needs, approximately 20% (as required) 
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

In addition to the above, the minimum requirements for the Engineering Specialist - Aeronautical and Acoustics Engineering include:

• Advanced degree in a STEM field is required
• Minimum (8) years of relevant and applicable professional experience is required
• Strong problem-solving skills both independently and in a team setting, ability to discern level of depth required to solve a given problem for a given program 
• Demonstration of dynamic environments technical assessments and standards tailoring made in conjunction with outside disciplines 

How You Can Stand Out  

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these: 

• Proficiency in commercial vibroacoustic and finite element analysis tools, such as Wave6, VA One, FEMAP, Hypermesh, or NASTRAN 
• Experience in analytical methods to solve problems in vibroacoustics and shock 
• Hands-on hardware experience, at or outside of workplace 
• Active TS/SCI security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government is strongly desired. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance