Senior Design Engineer

Sr. Design Engineer

Red Oak Technologies is a leading provider of comprehensive resourcing solutions across a variety of industries and sectors including IT, Marketing, Finance, Business Operations, Manufacturing and Engineering.

Aerospace and defense company client is looking for a Sr. Design Engineer contract position onsite in Dayton, Ohio. Citizenship Requirement: U.S. Citizen (CUI environment; no clearance required).

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Design Engineer to support the refresh and advancement of an existing aircraft design currently at Preliminary Design Review (PDR) maturity. This role will contribute to the evolution of a next‑generation aircraft concept, updating and adapting the design to meet current operational and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, assess, and refresh existing aircraft designs to meet updated requirements
• Participate in and support design and requirements reviews
• Ensure design compliance and clearly articulate design rationale and trade studies
• Contribute to proposal development and technical narratives as needed
• Perform engineering assessments using existing models and data
• Operate independently with minimal training or oversight
• No heavy drawing production required in the near term; focus is on design, analysis, and compliance until 2027

Core Technical Skill Areas

• Candidates may specialize in one or more of the following areas, with overall experience contributing to aircraft design:
• Hydraulic systems
• Aircraft structures and structural assessment
• Stress engineering
• Weight & balance analysis (ability to communicate the aircraft’s “weight story”)
• Aircraft systems integration
• Propulsion systems

Tools & Technical Environment

• CATIA V5 (required) : Ability to access models and perform structural and weight assessments
• MATLAB
• Standard aerospace engineering design and analysis tools
• Limited drawing release during this phase; emphasis is on design maturity and compliance

Preferred/Nice‑to‑Have Qualifications

• Ability to translate engineering concepts into clear proposal or customer‑facing narratives
• Combined test and design engineering background

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Experience Level: Senior‑level (Level 3 scope or above)
• Approach: Self‑starter who can work independently with minimal direction
• Capabilities: Quickly assess and build upon existing designs, files, and requirements; provide expert‑level input without requiring extensive onboarding or training; collaborate effectively within a small, fast‑moving engineering team

Background

• Government or defense experience helpful but not required
• Civilian aerospace experience strongly welcomed
• Prior experience on similar aircraft programs is a significant plus
• Preferred Location: Dayton, OH

Travel

• Required travel to Colorado for initial onboarding and integration
• Additional travel may be required for key meetings or milestones; all approved travel will be covered

Overtime

• Must be pre‑approved
• Overtime is paid at the standard hourly rate (no time‑and‑a‑half)

Additional Information

• This is a high‑visibility, high‑impact engineering effort with strong long‑term potential
• Significant engineering work will remain based in Colorado even if other activities occur elsewhere
• Strong performance may lead to extended engagement or conversion opportunities

Red Oak Technologies embraces diversity and invites applications from people of all walks of life.

Note: Compensation rates are based on years of experience and/or level of skills relevant to the opportunity.