Back to jobs
New

Airframe Design Engineer

Oxnard, California, United States

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results.

The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.

The Role

You'll own composite airframe design from concept to flight. This isn't just another design role—you're architecting the structural foundation of aircraft purpose-built for autonomous swarms, balancing cutting-edge performance requirements with aggressive development timelines.

What You'll Own

Design Leadership

  • Drive conceptual and preliminary composite structure design, including all critical interfaces and system integration
  • Develop CAD models and model-based definitions in Siemens NX/Fibersim with rigorous GD&T
  • Execute feasibility studies that balance performance, weight, and cost targets

Technical Ownership

  • Own the complete design lifecycle: initial sizing, design reviews, structural analysis, DFM coordination, supplier engagement, and release
  • Perform structural and joint sizing calculations that form the backbone of airframe design
  • Shape design standards and establish best practices that scale across the team

Team Impact

  • Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across the structures organization
  • Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure designs are manufacturable, certifiable, and production-ready

What You Bring

Required

  • 7+ years of experience designing composite structures for aircraft, spacecraft, or high-performance vehicles
  • Expert-level proficiency in Siemens NX and Fibersim (or equivalent composite design tools)
  • Deep knowledge of composite materials, laminate design, structural analysis, and bonding/joining techniques
  • Proven track record leading composite designs from concept through production
  • Hands-on fabrication and bonding experience—you understand how parts are actually built
  • Working knowledge of aviation standards and DoD certification requirements
  • BS in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (MS preferred)

Preferred

  • Built aircraft in small, fast-moving teams where you wore multiple hats
  • Experience with bonded composite structures and advanced manufacturing techniques
  • Strong PLM systems experience (Teamcenter or similar)
  • Track record of solving complex structural problems with creative, practical solutions
  • Natural leadership ability—people come to you for technical guidance

Why This Role Matters

Senior engineers join Swarm because they're tired of slow-moving programs and want to build something that matters. You'll work alongside some of the best aerospace talent in the industry, move fast, and see your designs fly. This is hands-on technical leadership with real impact on national security.

 

Salary Range: $175,000 - $220,000 + Equity

What we Offer:

  • Meaningful equity stake in a high-growth defense technology company
  • Competitive base salary commensurate with experience  
  • Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and 401k
  • PTO and Paid Sick Time
  • Monthly Wellness Stipend
  • Daily catered lunch to office
  • Paid parental leave
  • Direct impact opportunity - be a key leader in building a critical technology for national security
  • World-class team - work alongside exceptional engineers and operators solving hard problems 

 

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy work environment, Swarm Aero conducts a thorough screening of prospective employees. Candidates will be subject to a comprehensive background verification process as a prerequisite for employment. 

To conform to U.S. Government controlled technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Swarm Aero? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Swarm Aero’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.