At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in precision weapons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Our team of engineers and innovators are developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions to deliver affordable and scalable precision weapons, interceptors, and UAS.

We're building the next generation of munitions and unmanned systems for the United States and its allies. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on defense technology, you belong here.

We are seeking an experienced Analysis, Loads, and Dynamics Engineer to join our Weapons Performance team. This isn't a standard mechanical engineering role: you will lead deeper, system-level and system-wide structural analysis grounded in complex numerical simulation for Zone 5's air-launched effects, tactical interceptors, and next-generation munitions — assembling full-vehicle models for loads and vibration analysis, performing MIL-STD-8591 store carriage and separation loads analysis, and validating those models through ground testing — from early concept through qualification and fielded performance.

We're looking for an engineer with an entrepreneurial mindset: someone who takes personal responsibility for the success of the systems they help build and has a bias toward action. You will work with the Weapons Performance team's manager to help set technical direction for loads and dynamics, and partner closely with Structures, Aerodynamics, Propulsion, GNC, and Systems Engineering to ensure our systems perform reliably under demanding launch, flight, and terminal conditions.

Responsibilities:

Assemble and maintain full-vehicle structural models to perform loads and vibration analysis, capturing mass, stiffness, and structural dynamic characteristics across flight and ground environments.
Perform MIL-STD-8591-type store carriage, suspension, and separation loads analysis for air-launched effects, interceptors, and munitions integrated on host aircraft.
Guide ground testing — modal survey, ground vibration testing, and static load testing — to validate and correlate structural and loads models against test data.
Work with the Weapons Performance team to establish shared loads and dynamics methods, and document the procedures and processes used for model development, correlation, and reporting.
Support aeroelastic analysis (flutter and dynamic aeroelastic response) and structural modeling to characterize vehicle structural margins across the flight envelope.
Collaborate with Structures, Aerodynamics, Propulsion, GNC, and Systems Engineering to integrate loads and dynamics results into vehicle-level design and sizing decisions.
Conduct trade studies and sensitivity analyses on structural and dynamic design parameters to inform conceptual and preliminary design decisions.
Generate technical reports, presentations, and documentation of analysis results — including at formal design reviews (PDR, CDR) — and maintain organized archives and tracking of analysis data.
Interface with customers at a professional level, presenting technical results and responding to technical inquiries.
Mentor and provide technical guidance to other engineers on loads and dynamics methods and tools, and review their analysis approaches and results.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field required; Master's degree typical for candidates at this level, though exceptional applied experience can substitute.
8+ years of experience performing system-level structural and dynamics analysis grounded in complex numerical simulation, in an applied, program-driven environment, leading the technical approach across multiple full vehicle programs — from conceptual design through flight test.
Demonstrated ability to execute the full scope of the responsibilities above — from system-level structural and dynamics analysis grounded in complex numerical simulation to full-vehicle model development, aeroelastic analysis, and ground-test correlation — in a production, program-driven environment.