Roadrunner Venture Studio

Structural Engineer - Composites

Knoxville, TN · Full-time

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 41 days ago

SketchANSYSFEAGD&TRenewable Energy

About the role

Our work is defense-adjacent, technically demanding, and moves fast.
There is real ownership, real technical challenge, and no shortage of hard problems to solve.
Perseus operates in a hands-on lab and fabrication environment - you will be working alongside parts, tooling, and test hardware regularly.

You will be the structural engineering lead for composite structures and processing equipment at Perseus.
That means taking a concept from napkin sketch to validated design - running hand calculations, building FEA models, selecting materials, defining layup schedules, and working directly with fabricators to make sure what gets built matches what was designed.
You will be expected to make sound engineering judgments, document your reasoning, and iterate quickly.
Lead structural design and analysis of composite structures and processing equipment from concept through qualification
Perform first-principles hand calculations for stress, deflection, buckling, fatigue, and joint analysis - independent of simulation tools
Develop and execute FEA models to validate designs, identify failure modes, and guide structural optimization
Collaborate with fabrication teams to ensure designs are manufacturable and that layup, cure, and tooling requirements are clearly specified
Develop and support structural test plans
Maintain clear design documentation: assumptions, load cases, analysis reports, and drawing callouts
Contribute to DFM (design for manufacturability) reviews and support continuous improvement of fabrication processes

2+ Years Experience in a commercial composites manufacturing environment
Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Civil, or Structural Engineering, or equivalent demonstrated experience
Hands-on experience with composite structures in an applied context - aerospace, marine, wind energy, motorsport, or similar
Strong foundation in classical lamination theory, anisotropic material behavior, and composite failure criteria (Tsai-Wu, Hashin, max strain, etc.)
Proficiency with FEA software (Abaqus, Ansys, Nastran, or equivalent) for linear, nonlinear, and buckling analyses
Familiarity with composite fabrication methods: wet layup, prepreg, vacuum infusion, autoclave, out-of-autoclave, filament winding
Experience interpreting and generating engineering drawings with appropriate GD&T and composite-specific callouts
Exposure to structural testing methods: coupon, element, and full-scale

This listing is sourced directly from Roadrunner Venture Studio's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.