Principal Software Engineer, Vehicle Analysis (Structures & Dynamics)

Structural and dynamic analysis is where spacecraft schedules quietly go to die: rebuild the mesh, regenerate the load cases, wait on the solve, transcribe margins into a stress report, then do it again because a bracket moved. We want that loop automated end to end. You will embed with our structures and dynamics analysts and build the pipelines behind quasi-static, modal, random vibration, shock, and coupled loads analysis, plus the tooling that correlates models to vibration and modal survey test data.

Responsibilities

Generate the FEM. Build parametric finite element model generation from CAD, including automated defeaturing, meshing, connections, and mass representation, so a design revision produces an updated model without hand rebuild.; Automate load cases. Generate quasi-static, sine, random vibration, shock, acoustic, and coupled loads case matrices from launch vehicle environments and mission definitions.; Run at scale. Orchestrate batch solves across NASTRAN, Abaqus, Ansys, CalculiX, or in-house solvers on cloud and HPC compute, with scheduling, caching, and cost tracking.; Automate the margins. Build post-processing that computes margins of safety against allowables, rolls up worst case by part and load case, and generates stress and dynamics reports ready for review.; Screen for life. Automate fatigue, fracture, and fastener and joint screening across the vehicle so nothing depends on a single analyst remembering to check it.; Correlate to test. Ingest modal survey, sine, random vibration, and shock test data, automate model correlation including frequency and mode shape comparison, and track correlation quality.; Optimize mass. Build surrogate models and optimization workflows that let designers trade stiffness, strength, and mass in minutes rather than weeks.; Control the configuration. Version models, allowables, environments, and results with traceability to the vehicle configuration and to the requirements they verify.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, physics, or a related technical field; 6+ years of software engineering experience for the senior level, or 10+ years with demonstrated technical leadership for the principal level; Expert-level Python for scientific computing, and comfort in a compiled language such as C++ where performance requires it; Hands-on experience automating FEA or preprocessing tools through their APIs, such as NASTRAN, Femap, Abaqus, Ansys, ANSA, or Hypermesh; Working understanding of structural and dynamic analysis including FEA fundamentals, modal analysis, random vibration and PSD methods, shock response, and margin of safety practice; Experience orchestrating compute heavy workloads on HPC or cloud batch systems using Slurm, AWS Batch, or an equivalent; To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice to have

Launch environment and coupled loads analysis experience; Vibration or modal test correlation; Fatigue and fracture methods; Structural optimization or generative design; Prior work at a spacecraft, launch, or automotive company.

Benefits

Equity: Receive equity in Turion Space; Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents; Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan with a 3% Employer Direct Contribution; Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, sick days, and holidays; Parental Leave: Paid parental leave following the birth of a newborn or adoption; Emotional Wellbeing: A no-cost Employee Assistance Program (EAP); Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing internal training, workshops, and courses; Team Building Activities: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities