---
title: 'Structural Dynamics Lead at Overview Energy'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/structural-dynamics-lead-overview-energy-ashburn-cmc93fx3t9ja'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-06'
---

# Structural Dynamics Lead at Overview Energy

- **Company:** Overview Energy
- **Location:** Ashburn
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-11-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/overviewenergy/14c43ead-061a-4d56-8a9a-004ccfe3ad40

## Job description

## About Overview Energy

Overview Energy is a mission-driven team committed to building a new layer of energy infrastructure: satellites in geosynchronous orbit that redirect solar energy to terrestrial solar projects via passively safe near-infrared (NIR) light. We're in the earliest phase, where every structure we launch is analyzed, tested, and proven end-to-end by a small, dedicated team. Headquartered in the Northern Virginia / Washington, DC area and backed by world-class investors, we are advancing the next generation of clean energy technology.

## About the Role

We're hiring a Structural Dynamics Lead to build Overview Energy's structural analysis, verification, and model validation capability from scratch. You'll bring structural dynamics fully in-house, replacing work we currently send to outside contractors.

Every structure we put into orbit has to survive launch and years of thermal cycling. Your analysis is what stands between a design and a satellite that fails silently nearly 36,000 km away. Get it right, and solar farms already on the ground keep producing power after dark.

Working daily in our Ashburn, VA office, you'll work alongside our structural, optics, mechanisms, and systems engineering teams. You'll run the simulations, define the tests, build the fixtures, and command the room when the shaker table turns on. Along the way, you'll build the tools, procedures, and test capability this practice runs on for years to come.

## What You'll Do

- Build Nastran models from scratch for the primary structure, deployables, and the structure holding our optics
- Own loads and margins of safety for every flight structure, from launch vibration and shock to bolted joints
- Deliver Craig-Bampton models to launch providers and interpret the coupled loads results that come back
- Define static and dynamic test requirements: levels, durations, notching, sensor placement, and pass criteria
- Design and survey test fixtures, run test campaigns in person, and process the data yourself
- Correlate every model to test data and recommend design changes before hardware is released
- Predict how thermal cycling stresses our structures and correlate it to strain data from thermal tests
- Supply thermal distortion results to the optics team for Structural Thermal Optical Performance (STOP) analysis
- Write the analysis standards and validation procedures the next analyst inherits

## What We're Looking For From You

- A bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering
- 5-10 years of structural analysis experience on flight hardware: spacecraft, launch vehicles, or aircraft
- Hands-on experience across the full analysis cycle on multiple flight structures: build the model, define the test, correlate, and recommend the fix
- Expertise in Nastran structural dynamics (sine, random, and shock) using Femap, Patran, or Simcenter 3D
- Experience defining static and dynamic test requirements and designing the fixtures to run them
- Hands-on Siemens NX experience, from preparing geometry for analysis to modeling test fixtures

We Have a Strong Preference For

- A M.S. or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering
- Spaceflight program experience, including vibration and shock qualification testing
- Experience delivering Craig-Bampton models to a launch provider and interpreting coupled loads results
- Experience standing up an analysis function bringing contractor work in-house
- Experience with thermal distortion or STOP analysis on optical systems
- Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for Nastran post-processing and test data reduction
- Familiarity with GEVS, NASA-STD-5001, SMC-S-016, or launch-provider structural requirements
- A record of trading mass against stiffness on satellite structures, backed by GD&T and DFM/DFA

The salary range for this position is $120,000 - $170,000 commensurate with experience. Individuals with demonstrated exceptional ability may be considered beyond this band.

Our Benefits We take care of our people. In addition to competitive salary and equity, Overview Energy offers comprehensive medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage, a health and wellness stipend, 4 weeks paid time off, 2 weeks sick leave, parental leave, and 401(k) matching. Benefits are subject to change at the Company's discretion.

ITAR Requirements This position is subject to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, 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.

## Equal Opportunity Employer

Overview Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact us at talent@overviewenergy.com.

Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented groups often only apply for roles where they meet every listed qualification. If you believe you can succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply - even if you don't check every box.

## About Overview Energy

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Overview Energy is building a constellation of satellites in geosynchronous orbit that capture sunlight and beam safe, near-infrared energy to receivers on Earth to provide continuous, grid-scale solar power.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Venture-backed)
- **Headquarters**: Ashburn, Virginia, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Not publicly listed (founded by a team with expertise in energy, aerospace, and software)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Space Research and Technology, Aerospace, Clean Energy, Satellite Communication
- Target customers: Utility companies, grid operators, solar project developers, and governments (B2B, Enterprise)
- Mission or purpose statement: To turn uninterrupted sunlight in space into directable, reliable energy on Earth, making solar a 24/7 resource and solving grid demands without costly infrastructure upgrades.

## Products & Services
- **Space Solar Satellite Constellation**: A system of satellites in geosynchronous orbit that capture sunlight 24/7 and convert it into safe, near-infrared light. This light is beamed to large solar projects (receivers) on Earth, which convert it into electricity for the grid. The system is designed for gigawatt-scale energy generation and can redirect power on demand across continents.
- **Airborne Power Transfer (Demonstrated)**: A first-of-a-kind airborne test that proved the core technology works, validating the beam's safety and efficiency using commercially available components.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Total Funding**: ~$30.1 million (across 2 rounds)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Lowercarbon Capital, Mana Ventures (based on employee talent sources); specific lead investors not publicly named for all rounds.
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Headcount growth of +13.8% monthly (as of mid-2025).
    - Raised a Venture Round of ~$11.7M in July 2024.
    - Filed 5 patents as of 2025.
    - Targeting delivery of grid-scale power by the early 2030s.
    - Has a "capacity reservation agreement" in place, indicating early commercial interest.

## Competitive Advantages
- **24/7 Baseload Solar Power**: Unlike terrestrial solar, the system generates power continuously regardless of weather, time of day, or season, solving the intermittency problem of renewable energy.
- **Passively Safe Technology**: Uses a wide, near-infrared beam that is inherently below eye-safety limits, described as safer than a supermarket barcode scanner.
- **Grid Infrastructure Bypass**: Can deliver energy directly to receivers, bypassing congested transmission corridors and strengthening grid reliability without costly ground upgrades.
- **Commercially Viable Components**: Relies on proven, commercially available parts (laser diodes, solar panels) rather than requiring "leap-of-faith" scientific breakthroughs, reducing technical risk.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling for Gigawatt Capacity**: Moving from a validated airborne demonstration to building and launching satellites, with a goal of full constellation build-out and gigawatt-scale energy delivery by the early 2030s.
- **Mass Production**: Designing satellites for mass manufacturing to build multiple gigawatts of capacity.
- **Commercialization**: Securing capacity reservation agreements and partners to ensure a market for the delivered energy.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Impact**: Work on a technology that directly addresses climate change and global energy challenges by creating a new, clean baseload power source.
- **Cutting-Edge Technology**: Opportunity to work at the intersection of aerospace, energy, and optical systems, with a focus on building real hardware that flies.
- **Hybrid Work Environment**: Employees work a combination of remote and on-site (in-office) from the Ashburn, VA headquarters.
- **Early-Stage Growth**: As a small, well-funded startup (19-25 employees), there is significant potential for ownership, impact, and career growth as the company scales.
- **Strong Technical Team**: The company attracts talent from top aerospace and tech companies (e.g., Astranis, Starfish Space, RTX).

## Sources
1. [overviewenergy.com](https://overviewenergy.com/)
2. [linkedin.com/company/overviewenergy](https://www.linkedin.com/company/overviewenergy)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/overviewenergy](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/overviewenergy)
4. [cbinsights.com/company/overview-energy](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/overview-energy)
5. [builtin.com/company/overview-energy](https://builtin.com/company/overview-energy)

## Other roles at Overview Energy

- [Spacecraft Thermal Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/spacecraft-thermal-engineer-overview-energy-ashburn-2n9ct2pc7p14) — Ashburn
- [Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-overview-energy-ashburn-dgrxfk1fmzgb) — Ashburn
- [Optics Lab Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/optics-lab-manager-overview-energy-ashburn-98cbs8adp6fy) — Ashburn
- [General Application / Future Openings](https://feeny.ai/job/general-application-future-openings-overview-energy-ashburn-az71mdwhwhmv) — Ashburn