Senior Analyst, Deployable Structures

We are looking for a Senior Structures Analyst to own the structural analysis backbone of E-Space's Integrated Antenna Structure team. This person will develop and maintain the integrated finite element model of the deployed antenna assembly, perform structural performance and dynamics analysis, and establish requirements flow-down from system-level to component-level structural margins. This is a senior individual contributor role for someone with strong eigenvalue instincts, comfort with nonlinear and large-displacement problems, and opinions on what a deployable structure FEM is actually good for and where it breaks down.

On-site in Texas preferred, California as alternate. Close proximity to hardware and test activities is important for this role.

What you'll do:

• Own the integrated FEM of the deployed assembly, incorporating structural element stiffness and mass properties from contributing subsystem teams and deployment mechanism boundary conditions.
• Perform deployed-state structural performance analysis: modal survey prediction, static deflection under on-orbit loads (thermal, attitude control), and margin of safety verification.
• Develop and maintain the structural requirements allocation, flowing from system-level performance requirements down to component-level stiffness, mass, and CTE requirements for each contributing team.
• Lead model-test correlation at each level of the V&V test pyramid: update model parameters from test data, maintain a documented correlation record.
• Perform deployment analysis (e.g., deployable element kinematics, tensioning loads, deployment force margins, system dynamics) in support of the Deployable Structures Test Engineer's test predictions.
• Assess structural risk of design changes and interface deviations, and provide structural input to anomaly investigation teams.
• Develop and maintain the structural analysis error budget, tracking margin consumption as design changes occur.

Required Qualifications:

• BS or MS or Ph.D. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in FEA structural analysis (Nastran, ANSYS, or equivalent) for modal, static, and linear dynamics problems.
• Experience performing structural analysis for flight or high-reliability hardware, including margin of safety calculations and requirements compliance.
• Experience with structural dynamics (modal analysis, frequency response, eigenvalue methods) not just static stress analysis.
• Ability to build and maintain a system-level integrated FEM incorporating inputs from multiple contributing teams at different fidelity levels.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. strongly preferred for the senior-level scope.
• Experience with large deployable structures (antennas, solar arrays, booms, or lightweight flexible systems) including specific modeling challenges: geometric nonlinearity, low-stiffness modes, and large-displacement effects.
• Experience with model-test correlation methodology, updating model parameters from test data and bounding residual correlation uncertainty.
• Familiarity with deployment dynamics simulation tools (multi-body dynamics, flexible-body simulation).
• Experience with structural error budgeting or requirements allocation across a multi-team program.
• Python or MATLAB scripting for pre/post-processing of analysis data.

Additional Requirements

This is a fast-paced, high-impact environment - flexibility to occasionally work extended hours or weekends during critical periods is expected.