Job Description

Structures and Stress Manager

Location: On-Site, Portland, OR | Salary: $145K to $165K + Benefits | Employment: Full-time

WHO WE ARE

Altitude Aerospace delivers engineering and certification solutions for commercial and VIP aircraft programs worldwide. With FAA DER, EASA DOA, and TCCA DAO approvals, we support customers from concept through certification and in-service. Our 150+ person team across the US, Canada, and France works on programs for major OEMs and completion centers globally. We offer 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, SIMPLE IRA retirement plan, paid vacation and PTO, and 8 paid holidays.

THE ROLE

Lead the Structures and Stress function and own how it performs. You'll turn portfolio demand into staffing, assignments, and delivery commitments the team can actually hit, and you'll hold approval authority for stress work across static analysis, FEM, fatigue and damage tolerance, repairs, and advanced analysis. You report to the Engineering Manager and lead an established team of two Stress Leads plus Structures and Stress Engineers.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Plan & Staff

• Translate portfolio demand into staffing plans, assignments, and achievable delivery commitments.
• Plan staffing and assignments with the Stress Leads, who coordinate daily work across analysts and disciplines.
• Balance workloads across programs so delivery commitments hold.

Review & Approve

• Approve analyses and review plans within delegated authority, and retain authority for all stress items.
• Evaluate load cases, methods, assumptions, margins, and evidence before work goes out the door.
• Set and manage approval delegation by category.

Develop & Improve

• Develop the engineers on your team.
• Own analysis methods, tools, and training for the function.
• Track functional performance and escalate major technical, schedule, cost, or compliance risks early.

Coordinate

• Align stress, design, systems, and program leadership on execution.
• Work in a structure where program leadership follows the discipline driving the work.

Impact: You set the standard for verified stress work at Altitude and decide how the team delivers it across the portfolio.

WHAT YOU BRING

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 12+ years of aircraft structures and stress experience across static analysis, FEM, fatigue and damage tolerance, and repairs
• Strong technical review and substantiation skills: load cases, methods, assumptions, margins, and evidence
• Experience planning staffing and assignments and turning demand into delivery commitments
• Proficiency with Nastran/Femap, AFGROW, and Excel

WHY ALTITUDE

• Ownership: Own functional performance and develop the Structures and Stress team within a lean engineering organization
• Authority: Hold broad stress approval authority across static analysis, FEM, F&DT, repairs, and advanced analysis
• Influence: Shape methods, tools, training, and portfolio delivery through close coordination with other disciplines
• Accountability: Lean functional structure with clear accountability, delegated execution authority, and an emphasis on verified work and timely escalation

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• On-site role in Portland, OR with occasional travel (up to 10%)
• Background check and drug screen may be required
• ITAR eligibility required (U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident status)

Altitude Aerospace is an equal opportunity employer.