--- title: 'Structural Analyst at Stratolaunch' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/structural-analyst-stratolaunch-mojave-j5edb826aw4w' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-18' --- # Structural Analyst at Stratolaunch - **Company:** Stratolaunch - **Location:** Mojave, CA - **Posted:** 2026-10-15 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-18 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/stratolaunch/jobs/5453592008 ## Job description Stratolaunch is a technology accelerator that engineers operationally realistic testing at Mach 5+. Our air-launched, Talon testbeds are reusable, cost-effective platforms that enable routine access to the hypersonic environment. We deliver flight data critical to validating system performance and achieving rapid technology deployment. Together with our customers, we drive innovations that are imperative to advancing national security. To help achieve these efforts, Stratolaunch is seeking a Sr- or Staff-level Structural Analyst to support design, analysis, integration, testing, and maintenance of hypersonic vehicle and launch system structure.  This position will include contributing to conceptual and detailed structural analysis-driven design of primary and secondary structure.  You are responsible for contributing to the vehicle’s structural technical performance, including meeting design and mission requirements, resolving technical challenges, and implementing technology upgrades that improve the competitive basis of the hypersonic vehicle and launch system architecture. ## ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES - Participate in portions of the structural development of hypersonic vehicles and launch systems - Generate and maintain finite element method (FEM) models - including meshing, materials & properties assignment, grouping, etc. - Generate and/or expand upon FEMAP interfacing and data reduction scripts and programs - Apply vehicle loads and environments to FEM - Perform modal and linear finite element analysis (FEA), as required, to evaluate vehicle loads and environments - Perform structural trade studies to develop and/or improve airframe load paths - Assess and confirm FEA results with hand calculations as appropriate - Interpret results and make design modifications to meet program requirements - Select material systems and construction techniques, as needed, that meet project objectives - Work with structural and mechanical designers to incorporate analysis-driven design modifications - Create analysis reports to support the documentation of structural margins - Perform detailed design of structural components and assemblies, as required - Assist structural designers in disposition of manufacturing nonconformances and resolve technical challenges, as they arise - Evaluate risks and develop risk mitigation plans for primary structures - Regular and comprehensive communication to relevant Structures Lead and Section Manager - Demonstrate honesty, responsibility, integrity, and fulfillment of commitments ## QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Required Qualifications: - Strong fundamental structures background, including load paths and the ability to hand size structural components - Perform structural hand calculations - Experience designing and analyzing either composite or metallic structures - Experience with FEM generation - Experience with FEA and FEA post-processing - Experience generating pre- and post-processing scripts - Ability to communicate technical challenges and guidance to varied audiences to explain rationale and/or resolve concerns - Ability to take direction, work relatively independently, and prioritize tasking to fit within the business goals - Ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities Required Computer Skills: - Proficient with FEMAP and NX NASTRAN - Experience programming - Python, C++, or Matlab - MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with BMI or epoxy pre-preg composites - Experience with static structural testing - Experience with loads development - Experience with dynamics analyses Preferred Computer Skills: - Computer Aided Design tools – NX (preferred), Solidworks, or CATIA - Familiarity with configuration management systems – Jira (preferred) ## EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE - Sr Level ($102,000-$172,000): Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from accredited institution and 5-10 years of engineering experience, OR equivalent combination of education and experience - Staff Level ($129,000-$214,000: Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) from accredited institution and 10-20 years of engineering experience, OR equivalent combination of education and experience Special remarks regarding work environment, if applicable - Position based in Mojave, CA.  Consideration for remote or hybrid position for well-qualified candidate. - Travel estimated to be <10% - 9/80 Schedule Base salary and leveling are established on a case-by-case basis. We consider several factors to ensure a competitive offer, including your location, educational background, and a comprehensive assessment of the skills and experience demonstrated during your interviews. [Benefits](https://www.stratolaunch.com/careers/benefits/) and our https://www.stratolaunch.com/careers/locations/: - Healthcare (medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs) - Paid Maternity and Parental Leave - 50% company match per contributed dollar into 401(k) savings plan, up to $11,500 - Tuition reimbursement This position may involve the operation of company vehicles as part of assigned duties. Mojave Air & Spaceport is located just outside of Lancaster/Palmdale and is only 95 miles north of Los Angeles.  The area offers both affordability and central access to a variety of California's best attractions and landmarks. Not much for the outdoors and prefer the city life? You’re within a half day’s drive or less of Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, and San Francisco where you can find a variety of live entertainment, museums, tours, and historical sight-seeing. Theme parks are in abundance, with Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and Knotts Berry Farm ready to meet the needs of rollercoaster thrill seekers. Food and drink fanatics are in a haven of delectable choices. Wine aficionados will also find easy access to some of the state’s best vino in Paso Robles, Santa Ynez, and even more locally in Tehachapi and Agua Dulce. Beer fanatics will find some of the best West Coast IPAs at Bravery and Lucky Luke’s in Lancaster. Any food option you crave is covered, and we always recommend the authentic and fresh Mexican food that you won’t find anywhere else in the United States. Stratolaunch is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at our company. We encourage people from all walks of life to apply, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. Our management team does not tolerate discrimination or harassment at any point during our employees’ and applicants’ time with us, especially with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment.  For purposes of transparency, U.S. Citizenship may be required for some positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions. Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law : [https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf](https://usg02.safelinks.protection.office365.us/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dol.gov%2Fofccp%2Fregs%2Fcompliance%2Fposters%2Fpdf%2Feeopost.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CJustin.Bunkis%40stratolaunch.com%7Cc995cc1cb2d54cb9e84f08dd8369f5d0%7C6b1ba37e5a954845af92bbebaa34f2bf%7C0%7C0%7C638811213293596097%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HA1xZ73OqtOavsYHMEB53oSEKk%2FQdrb0FNLHeuEPqjg%3D&reserved=0) ## About Stratolaunch ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Stratolaunch designs, manufactures, and launches aerospace vehicles and technologies to provide the U.S. and its allies with routine, affordable access to hypersonic flight testing and space. - **Entity Type**: Private (total funding $24.7M; recent grant and private equity rounds) - **Headquarters**: Mojave, California, United States - **Founded**: 2011 - **Founders**: Not listed in available sources ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing – hypersonic test technology and air-launch services. - **Target customers**: U.S. government agencies (Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense), defense contractors, and commercial aerospace companies. - **Mission**: To advance a national imperative by enabling routine access to the hypersonic environment, accelerating technology development, and validating system performance through flight data. ## Products & Services - **Roc (Air-Launch Platform)**: The world’s largest aircraft by wingspan, used as a mobile launch pad to deploy hypersonic test vehicles from high altitude. - **Talon-A**: A reusable, air-launched hypersonic test vehicle capable of sustained Mach 5+ flight; provides critical flight data for technology maturation. - **Hypersonic Flight Testing Services**: End-to-end mission planning, payload integration, flight operations, and data analysis for government and commercial customers. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed - **Key Metrics**: - Annual revenue: ~$28.7M (source: LinkedIn) - Total funding: $24.7M (led by Missile Defense Agency grant, January 2025; plus a private equity round in January 2026) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Missile Defense Agency (MDA), U.S. Department of Defense; acquired WINDWRIGHT, LLC. - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount grew 15.3% YoY to 253 employees. - Active job postings increased 176.2% YoY. - Received a $90.8M contract award under MACH-TB 2.0 Task 3 for air-launched capability test vehicles. - Conducted a hypersonic test flight with the Missile Defense Agency. ## Competitive Advantages - **Unique Air-Launch Capability**: Operates Roc, the only aircraft of its size, enabling flexible, over-the-horizon launch of hypersonic vehicles without ground range constraints. - **Vertical Integration**: In-house design, manufacturing, and flight test capabilities reduce timelines and allow rapid iteration. - **Government Trust**: Multiple contract awards from MDA and DoD demonstrate confidence in Stratolaunch’s technology and execution. ## Strategic Focus - Scaling hypersonic testing capacity to meet growing national security demand. - Maturing Talon-A into a reusable, operational vehicle for repeatable, cost-effective hypersonic flights. - Expanding customer base beyond the MDA to include other defense agencies and commercial hypersonic developers. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values include “Safety Always,” “Be courageous & bold,” “Strength in humility,” and “Be the teammate you’d want to have.” Emphasis on hands-on, cross‑disciplinary learning alongside top aerospace engineers. - **Work Environment**: Majority on‑site (57 of 64 current positions are on‑site); limited hybrid/remote options. HQ in Mojave, CA, with additional offices in Washington, D.C., and Huntsville, AL. - **Notable Perks**: Direct involvement in cutting‑edge hypersonic technology with national importance; exposure to multiple engineering disciplines; safety‑first, ego‑free culture. - **Compensation Example**: Propulsion Technician ~$65,890/yr; Executive Assistant ~$88,580/yr (LinkedIn estimates). - **Employer Rating**: 3.7/5 (55 reviews) – Compensation rated 4.0/5, Culture 3.5/5, Work‑Life 2.8/5. ## Sources 1. [stratolaunch.com](https://www.stratolaunch.com/) 2. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stratolaunch) 3. [job-boards.greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/stratolaunch) 4. [stratolaunch.com/careers/culture](https://www.stratolaunch.com/careers/culture/) ## Other roles at Stratolaunch - [Engineering Section Manager - Avionics](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-section-manager-avionics-stratolaunch-mojave-zpmzecyr75n5) — Mojave, CA - [Program Manager, Hypersonic Vehicle](https://feeny.ai/job/program-manager-hypersonic-vehicle-stratolaunch-mojave-6gjent0zw6vs) — Mojave, CA - [Program Manager, Talon A](https://feeny.ai/job/program-manager-talon-a-stratolaunch-mojave-1nt88a9z5nqp) — Mojave, CA - [Lead Security Engineer - Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM)](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-security-engineer-information-systems-security-manager-issm-stratolaunch-a7m2x9dd91hk) — Mojave, CA - [Logistics Clerk- Inventory Property Control](https://feeny.ai/job/logistics-clerk-inventory-property-control-stratolaunch-mojave-krwmh3qzymwg) — Mojave, CA - [Technical Staff, Mechanical Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-staff-mechanical-systems-stratolaunch-mojave-yf1e81vsq634) — Mojave, CA - [Aircraft Maintenance Expeditor](https://feeny.ai/job/aircraft-maintenance-expeditor-stratolaunch-mojave-9p4cgzww2x9s) — Mojave, CA - [GSE Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/gse-technician-stratolaunch-mojave-0e3tt2r4xg8m) — Mojave, CA - [Aircraft Maintenance Controller](https://feeny.ai/job/aircraft-maintenance-controller-stratolaunch-mojave-cjt5r5gsjzf2) — Mojave, CA - [Aircraft Maintenance Scheduler](https://feeny.ai/job/aircraft-maintenance-scheduler-stratolaunch-mojave-mc5wghgy4tmy) — Mojave, CA