Engineer I Aerostructures & FEA

R&D - Mech Navi Mumbai (On-Site) Entry-level 1-3 years Fulltime

COMPANY PROFILE

ideaForge is the leader in industrial and surveillance UAV manufacturing in India with

more than 50% market share. Established in 2007 by IIT-Bombay alumni and

headquartered in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, ideaForge co-designed India''s first

surveillance quadrotor UAV — NETRA — with DRDO, and engineered the then world''s

lightest Autopilot. The company develops completely indigenous technology for

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and is a pioneer in the UAS segment with multiple

intellectual properties. ideaForge operates fully in-house R&D, design,

manufacturing, software, services, and training. Its products have consistently

helped Indian Defence, Paramilitary, and Police forces ensure citizen safety

and save lives.

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking a passionate and driven Engineer-I – Aerostructures & FEA to join our R&D Mechanical team. This role combines hands-on aerostructure design with simulation-driven structural analysis (FEA) to develop lightweight, robust, and certification-ready UAV airframes. The ideal candidate is technically rigorous, collaborative, and eager to grow across composite design,

structural analysis, physical validation, and continuous improvement activities.

JOB DESCRIPTION

1. Aerostructure Design & Development

• Design and develop composite and metallic aerostructures including wings, fuselage, empennage, landing legs, hinges, and gliders using first principal approach.

• Perform aerosizing and structural sizing calculations for lightweight optimisation across UAV platforms.

• Create CAD models and detailed engineering drawings adhering to DFMA principles.

• Design composite parts and analyse layup feasibility; perform draping and structural optimisation for weight reduction.

• Evaluate and select composite materials and manufacturing processes (hand lay-up, prepreg, RTM, etc.).

• Apply Classical Laminate Theory (CLT) and ply optimisation to achieve required stiffness-to-weight targets.

2. TAD (Tooling & Assembly Definition)

• Must be proficient in TAD principles with hands-on experience in tooling and assembly strategies.

• Prepare assembly BOMs, jigs and fixture interfaces, and support design-to-assembly planning.

• Contribute to design improvements based on ease of assembly, maintainability, and ergonomics.

3. PLM Integration

• Experienced in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems for version control, workflows, and digital thread management.

• Familiarity with Windchill PLM or equivalent for part structures, release cycles, and change management.

4. FEA – Structural Strength & Vibration analysis

• Assist in static, non-linear, and buckling analysis under operational and extreme load cases.

• Support composite modelling, laminate optimisation, and stability evaluation using ANSYS ACP or equivalent.

• Validate structural safety margins and compliance under drop and operational loads.

• Develop understanding of load case development, boundary conditions, and failure theories (aerospace structural standards).

• Support vibration simulations including Modal, Harmonic, Frequency Response Function (FRF), and dynamic response analysis for UAV/eVTOL structures.

• Identify natural frequencies, mode shapes, and critical excitation zones to reduce resonance risk.

5. Material Engineering & Manufacturability

• Strong knowledge of materials (metals, polymers, composites) with a clear understanding of process-specific constraints.

• Evaluate designs for manufacturability, cost efficiency, and reliability using DFM, DFX, and material selection tools.

• Prior experience working with high-performance materials, injection molding, and machining processes is advantageous.

6. Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing

• Well-versed in 3D printing techniques (FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, DMLS,etc.).

• Ability to select suitable printer types, grain structures, material properties, and post-processing requirements based on the use-case.

7. Cross-Functional & Organisational Contribution

• Provide technical support to Sales & Project Management teams.

• Participate in flight trials and tech-driven swimlanes (propulsion, payload vibrations, aerostructure).

• Support development of CAE methodologies, SOPs, material databases, and internal simulation tools.

8. Root Cause Analysis

• Should be capable to understand physical behavior, correlate with design definition and derive root causes in collaboration with CFT.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 1-3 years of experience in mechanical product design, preferably in aerospace, UAVs, or robotics.

• Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling (preferably Creo), TAD, and GD&T.

• Experience in PLM/PDM platforms, ideally Windchill.

• Familiarity with FEA tools (ANSYS Mechanical / ANSYS ACP or equivalent); exposure to static, modal analysis

• Knowledge of DFX, DFM, and high-performance material-process pairing.

• Hands-on experience with 3D printing tools and decision-making for rapid prototyping vs. end-use applications.

• Strong documentation and presentation skills.

DESIRED BEHAVIOURAL VALUES:

• Commitment to common purpose and goals.

• Seating respect on the table.

• Displaying Integrity and Ethics.

• Taking Initiative and ownership with Accountabilities.

• Being Passionate about making a difference.

• Maintaining and managing interpersonal harmonious relationships.

Skills

Creo Parametric GD&T Finite Element Analysis Design CAD ANSYS Report Generation Composites Material Selection RCA Testing Machine Design