Job Summary:
American Aerospace is leading the way in civil/commercial medium altitude, long endurance unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) with the development of the AiRangerTM UAS. AATI is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Junior Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer to join the company’s dynamic team at their aircraft manufacturing plant in Sterling, Virginia. The Junior Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer shall be responsible for making significant contributions to the design, development, and manufacturing of AATI’s AiRanger. The ideal candidate will have proficiency in SOLIDWORKS drafting and design with a strong mechanical aptitude. Prior experience with CNC, 3D printing, composite, and sheet metal design/manufacturing processes is needed. Previous experience in the aviation/aerospace industry, particularly with Group 3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), is highly desirable.
Duties/Responsibilities:
• Collaborate with the engineering team to design and develop mechanical components and systems for aviation/aerospace applications.
• Support all aspects of engineering design, development, manufacturing, and testing of AATI’s Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) UAS.
• Maintain approval processes for management and creation of new and revised schematics, engineering drawings, and user documentation.
• Utilize SOLIDWORKS for drafting and modeling purposes.
o Develop aircraft and supplemental systems drawing packages.
o Demonstrate proficiency in CNC, 3D printing, composite, and sheet metal design and manufacturing processes, ensuring designs align with industry best practices.
o Implement lightweight design principles to optimize the performance and efficiency of aerospace components.
o Apply Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) principles to communicate design intent accurately.
• Contribute to the AiRanger’s design and optimization of propulsion, launch, avionics, communications, and control systems.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including procedures, manuals, and design specifications.
• Self-manage projects and timelines effectively, ensuring deliverables are met within specified deadlines and budget.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of mechanical components into larger systems.
• Demonstrate adaptability by wearing multiple hats and proactively taking on additional responsibilities to contribute to the overall success of the team.
Requirements/Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical/aerospace engineering or a related field.
• 1 to 3 years of relevant experience.
• Proficiency in SOLIDWORKS for drafting and 3D modeling.
• Knowledge and experience in CNC, 3D printing, composite, and sheet metal design/manufacturing processes.
• Experience with materials evaluation and testing for aircraft.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers, suppliers, and/or regulators.
• Working practical knowledge of AS9100 amongst other industry standards.
• Knowledge of FAA A&P guidelines
• Proficiency in using hand and power tools.
• Experience in rapid prototyping techniques.
• Strong organizational, analytical, time-management, and problem-solving skills with constant attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within perimeters of instruction given, prescribed routines, and standards accepted practices.
• Ability to work for prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
PREFERRED Requirements/Qualifications
• Experience with aspects of medium altitude, long endurance, Group 3 CTOL UAS including design, development, manufacturing, integration and flight testing.
• Experience with 4-stroke, single-piston engines
• Experience in Finite Elements Analysis (FEA)
• Experience in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
• FAA A&P license and/or Pilot license