Mechanical Engineer - Soft Goods & Inflatable Structures

Who We Are

Aurex is a mission-focused aerospace and defense company building the next frontier of deterrence. From hypersonics and missile defense to hardened networks and orbital systems, we design, test, and deliver the platforms that turn unproven ideas into battlefield-ready capability.

Born in Huntsville and built for speed, Aurex brings together aerospace veterans, combat-tested operators, and forward-leaning technologists to solve problems that matter—fast. We move from whiteboard to warfighter with precision, clarity, and zero tolerance for fluff.

Job Description

We are looking for a skilled Mechanical Engineer with experience in designing soft goods and inflatable structures, utilizing computational design, inverse design, material selection, structural analysis, and prototyping. The ideal candidate will leverage SolidWorks and other simulation packages to create robust, high-performance inflatable systems for aerospace applications, ensuring precision and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Develop CAD models in SolidWorks to design flat panel shapes and connection seams for inflatable structures, to achieve complex 3D shapes when inflated.
• Apply inverse design techniques to work backward from desired 3D shapes to determine optimal 2D panel patterns, solving challenging design problems.
• Select appropriate membrane materials (e.g., high-strength fabrics, films, polymers) and specify manufacturing techniques such as sewing or sealing to ensure functional and durable inflatable structures.
• Conduct structural analysis to predict the behavior of inflated structures under various forces and stresses, ensuring stability, and performance in aerospace environments.
• Create and test physical prototypes to validate designs, iterating based on test results to optimize performance and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including aerospace engineers, materials scientists, and manufacturing teams, to integrate designs into larger systems.

Qualifications

• Work in person at our corporate headquarters in Huntsville AL
• One of the following:
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, or a related field with relevant experience in the industry
  • Master's degree or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, or relevant field with experience in applying your knowledge to real-world systems
• 2-5 years of industry experience in mechanical design and development
• Proven Expertise in inverse design methodologies for soft goods and inflatable structures.
• Familiarity with membrane materials and manufacturing techniques (e.g., sewing, heat sealing, or adhesive bonding) for inflatable systems.
• Hands-on experience with prototyping, testing, and validation of inflatable designs.
• Extensive knowledge of CAD software, preferably SolidWorks
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to tackle computationally challenging design problems.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Only U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain a security clearance will be considered.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with other CAD tools or computational design software for soft goods.
• Knowledge of aerospace-specific materials (e.g., Kevlar, Mylar, Kapton, Vectran) for inflatable applications.
• Understanding of aerospace environmental conditions (e.g., vacuum, extreme temperatures) and their impact on inflatable structures.
• Experience with rapid prototyping techniques, such as 3D printing or CNC cutting, for soft goods.
• Familiarity with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for analyzing inflatable structures.
• U.S. citizen with an active SECRET clearance

How You Will Be Rewarded

The salary range for this role is $80,000-$150,000.We offer a comprehensive total rewards approach to compensation, providing incentives and benefits that extend far beyond the base salary. Compensation is determined by the candidate’s work experience, education, training, and relevant skills. We offer a competitive benefits package designed to support our employees' health, well-being, and professional growth.

Location: Huntsville, AL
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Aurex is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It prohibits discrimination, retaliation, or any type of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, citizenship, immigration status, or any other legally protected status in employment, including in hiring, firing, and recruiting decisions. All applicants must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States for positions at Aurex. There may be limited circumstances in which a law, regulation, executive order, or government contract would require certain citizenship; only in those limited circumstances would Aurex require certain citizenship status to comply with the relevant law, regulation, executive order, or government contract applicable to that position. For all other positions, Aurex does not consider an applicant’s citizenship but only requires that the applicant be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. If a position is one that falls under export control laws and regulations requiring authorization from the U.S. government to access export-controlled items, any hiring is contingent on the applicant passing the export compliance assessment, which is separate from the I-9 process, for that specific position. A background check will be required prior to any hire.

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