Find & Apply For Civil Engineer Jobs in Florence, Texas

Overview Frontera Space is developing a next-generation space transportation vehicle and is seeking a Responsible Engineer (RE) to own its pressurized composite structural systems. The Pressurized Composite Structures RE will be the technical owner and primary point of accountability for the architecture, design, analysis, materials, manufacturing, test, and qualification of the vehicle's pressurized and cryogenic composite structures. This is a hands-on technical leadership position. The RE will establish the structural architecture, make fundamental materials and design decisions, build and lead the pressurized structures team, and maintain end-to-end technical integrity from early development through flight. The ideal candidate combines deep experience in composite pressure structures and cryogenics with a fundamental understanding of polymer and composite behavior, including cure kinetics, residual stress development, microcracking, fracture mechanics, permeability, and structural durability under combined pressure and thermal cycling. This is a full-time, exempt, in-person position reporting to the COO and Interim Director of Structures John Courter in the Austin, Texas area. What You'll Do Serve as the Responsible Engineer and technical authority for pressurized composite structures on Frontera's next-generation space transportation vehicle.

• Architect composite pressure vessels, propellant tanks, cryogenic tanks, domes, barrels, joints, penetrations, interfaces, and supporting structural systems.
• Own requirements development, structural architecture, preliminary sizing, detailed design, analysis, manufacturing development, test, qualification, and flight implementation.
• Establish material systems, laminate architectures, load paths, structural joints, interfaces, and manufacturing approaches.
• Lead the development of pressure structures subjected to combined: o Internal pressure o Vehicle mechanical loads o Cryogenic thermal environments o Thermal gradients o Pressure cycling o Repeated cryogenic cycling o Manufacturing and cure-induced residual stresses
• Understand and control the fundamental mechanisms governing composite structural durability, including: o Matrix microcracking o Delamination o Fiber/matrix interface behavior o Mode I and Mode II fracture o Thermal-expansion mismatch o Cure shrinkage and residual stresses o Permeability and leak-path formation o Fatigue and accumulated damage
• Apply a fundamental understanding of thermoset cure kinetics and process-property relationships to material selection and manufacturing process definition.
• Define resin, fiber, adhesive, liner, coating, toughener, and joining-system requirements appropriate for cryogenic pressure structures.
• Perform and/or direct structural analysis including: o Composite laminate stresses and margins o Pressure loading o Combined mechanical and thermal loading o Buckling and structural stability o Fracture mechanics o Damage tolerance o Fatigue and pressure-cycle life o Proof and burst capability o Cure-induced and thermally induced stresses
• Develop material characterization and structural verification programs spanning coupons, elements, subcomponents, development articles, and full-scale tanks.
• Define and execute proof, burst, pressure-cycle, cryogenic-cycle, fracture, permeability, and qualification testing.
• Correlate analytical models with test results and use test data to mature designs and material models.
• Work directly with manufacturing engineers and technicians to establish robust, repeatable composite fabrication and assembly processes.
• Establish design allowables, structural margins, factors of safety, acceptance criteria, inspection requirements, and verification methodologies.
• Lead technical and design reviews for pressurized structural systems.
• Own technical disposition of structural nonconformances, manufacturing deviations, and test anomalies.
• Partner closely with propulsion, fluids, thermal, vehicle structures, manufacturing, test, and systems engineering.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead the engineering team responsible for pressurized composite structures.
• Establish the tools, analysis methods, standards, and engineering practices required to rapidly develop flight-critical pressure hardware.
• Drive designs toward minimum mass, high structural efficiency, manufacturability, durability, rapid production, and operational reliability.

What Success Looks Like You become the technical owner of the pressurized composite structural architecture for Frontera's next-generation space transportation vehicle. You establish a technically rigorous approach to designing large, lightweight composite pressure structures capable of operating reliably through demanding pressure, mechanical, and cryogenic environments. You build and lead a highly capable engineering team while remaining directly involved in the critical structural, materials, manufacturing, and test decisions. You lead the system from material and process development through component testing, full-scale qualification, and ultimately flight-ready hardware. Employment Details

• Full-time, exempt position
• Primarily in-person at Frontera Space in Austin, Texas
• Regular interaction with engineering, manufacturing, and test teams
• Travel to suppliers, manufacturing facilities, and test locations may be required
• Hands-on participation in hardware development and test activities is expected Qualifications What We're Looking For (Requirements)
• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Polymer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 4+ years of professional experience directly developing pressurized composite aerospace structures.
• Demonstrated experience with composite pressure vessels, cryogenic tanks, propellant tanks, COPVs, pressurized aerospace structures, or comparable flight-critical hardware.
• Strong fundamental understanding of composite mechanics, laminate theory, structural analysis, and composite failure mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of cryogenic materials and structural behavior.
• Fundamental understanding of: o Thermoset cure kinetics o Cure shrinkage o Residual stress formation o Composite microcracking o Delamination o Fracture mechanics o Fracture durability o Fatigue o Thermal stresses
• Permeability of composite pressure structures
• Experience with structural proof, qualification, or development testing of pressure hardware.
• Experience working directly with composite manufacturing and flight or production hardware.
• Ability to independently make and defend critical technical decisions for flight-critical structures.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts and develop other engineers. Bonus Points (Preferred)
• 10+ years of experience developing pressurized composite aerospace structures.
• Prior experience as a Responsible Engineer, Principal Engineer, Lead Engineer, or equivalent technical authority for a pressure vessel, cryogenic tank, or major flight structural system.
• Experience architecting a clean-sheet pressurized structural system from initial concept through qualification and flight.
• Demonstrated experience building and leading an engineering team responsible for a major vehicle subsystem.
• Deep expertise in cryogenic composite structures, particularly structures intended for liquid hydrogen and/or liquid oxygen service.
• Experience developing large-scale composite cryogenic tanks.
• Experience with linerless or thin-lined composite pressure structures.
• Deep understanding of the relationship between: o Resin chemistry o Cure kinetics o Glass-transition behavior o Cure cycle o Thermal expansion o Residual stresses o Microcracking o Fracture toughness o Permeability
• Experience characterizing and improving Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness in composite material systems.
• Experience with repeated cryogenic thermal cycling and pressure cycling.
• Experience developing customized or highly optimized resin systems for structural applications.
• Experience with AFP/ATL, filament winding, prepreg layup, resin infusion, bonded structures, or automated composite manufacturing.
• Experience developing test programs from material coupons through full-scale structural qualification.
• Experience on launch vehicles, spacecraft, reusable space vehicles, hypersonic vehicles, missiles, or other high-performance aerospace systems.

Technical Skills Composite laminate design and analysis Composite failure criteria and damage mechanics Cryogenic structural analysis Pressure-vessel analysis and design Fracture mechanics and damage tolerance Mode I and Mode II fracture behavior Polymer and thermoset cure kinetics Residual and thermal stress analysis Microcracking and permeability Composite fatigue and durability Finite element analysis Material characterization and test correlation Structural proof and burst testing Cryogenic qualification testing Composite manufacturing processes Structural test planning and execution Engineering requirements and verification Design review and technical authority Working Conditions This role operates in a fast-paced aerospace development environment spanning office engineering, manufacturing, integration, and test activities. The position may involve work around large composite structures, pressure systems, cryogenic systems, test equipment, manufacturing machinery, and flight hardware. The successful candidate must be comfortable moving between fundamental materials science, detailed engineering analysis, hardware manufacturing, and hands-on structural testing. Export Control Eligibility Certain positions supported by this role may involve work subject to U.S. export-control laws and regulations. Candidates for those roles may be required to meet applicable U.S. export-control eligibility requirements. Equal Opportunity Employer Frontera Space is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment and consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information Why Join Us? Join Frontera Space at an early stage and help create a transformational aerospace platform designed to change how high-speed aircraft and access-to-space systems are developed, manufactured, and operated. You will have the opportunity to influence the vehicle architecture, solve foundational technical challenges, and see your work move rapidly from analysis and design into hardware, testing, and flight. As an early team member, you will take on broad ownership, help establish the engineering culture, and directly shape both the product and the company. Frontera Space offers meaningful equity participation and the chance to create lasting value while working on technology with the potential to redefine aerospace performance, affordability, and operational capability. This is an opportunity to do more than contribute to an established program—it is a chance to help build the vehicle, the team, and the company from the ground up.

Pay:

$98,568.00 - $147,852.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person