Sr. Conceptual Design Engineer (R&D)

Virgin Galactic is a seeking an experienced conceptual design engineer with experience in aerospace vehicle sizing, and configuration integration of trans-atmospheric vehicles. You will be supporting ongoing activities transforming the future of high-speed suborbital global mobility. You will be responsible for analyzing, evaluating, and formulating development strategy for vehicle configuration designs in disruptive, safe, and reusable high-speed solutions to global connectivity. You will also be responsible for providing technical leadership and mentorship, promoting a culture of continual improvement and quality within the R&D Team.

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual-level design, layout, and vehicle integration/packaging activities during development of high-speed vehicle(s), define technical requirements, and set a path to meet requirements.
• Collaborate with the extended VG engineering organization to integrate flight sciences, mass properties and other disciplines as part of design programs.
• Perform trade studies including vehicle configuration, weight, performance, structural and equipment layout, propulsion, and payload.
• Provide Outer Mold Line surface definition, wing planform design, fuselage shaping, control surface placement, propulsion placement, subsystems integration, etc., following aerospace best practices.
• Prepare performance specifications, requirements, and statement of work documents for both internal team members and suppliers.
• Execute existing VG conceptual design analysis programs and support development or acquisition of new conceptual design software tools and methods.
• Review work and technical findings from both internal team members and suppliers.
• Present work and technical findings with justification to management and senior leadership through design reviews and program milestones.
• Develop customer presentations, provide engineering reports, specifications, and proposal inputs.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, and/or equivalent, with a minimum of 10 years of related experience
• Demonstrated experience with aerospace vehicle design and build teams/projects with emphasis in high speed or suborbital performance.
• Strong CAD experience in CATIA V5, 3DX preferred.
• Ability to develop parametric configuration models to support multi-disciplinary design and optimization (MDAO)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail.
• Proven ability to lead technical work in an environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent proactive communication (oral, written, presentation), interpersonal, negotiation and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor teammates and coworkers on configuration development and the complex integration of the vehicle systems.
• Working programming knowledge of MATLAB, Python.
• Ability to execute strategic goals and objectives in support of the overall company goals and objectives.

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $105,700.00–$161,200.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits