Senior Stress Engineer - Composite Structural Testing

At Heart Aerospace we develop the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric airplane with a capacity of 30 passengers, an electric zero-emission range of 200 km and an extended hybrid range of 400 km. Heart is targeting type certification of the ES-30 by the end of the decade.

We are now looking for a Senior Stress Engineer - Composite Structural Testing to join our Airframe & Interiors team in Gothenburg. Do you have experience with expertise in composite structural testing, e.g. composite coupon testing, element testing, and full-scale aircraft testing and want to contribute to a more sustainable future?

Your mission

This role focuses on the validation of composite materials and structures through rigorous testing methods to validate our design concepts, innovative design solution, ensuring that they meet the required safety, durability, and performance standards for aerospace applications.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead and manage composite coupon, element, and full-scale structural testing programs to validate the performance of composite materials and structures.
• Plan and execute tests for components such as fuselage sections, wings, control surfaces, and other critical aerospace structures.
• Develop test matrices, determine test parameters, and select appropriate test methods based on material properties, design requirements, and certification standards.
• Collaborate with design and analysis teams to define test objectives and create detailed test plans, and provide feedback to refine composite structure design based on test results and analysis.
• Specify and coordinate the design and fabrication of test fixtures, ensuring they meet the requirements for composite material testing.
• Supervise the execution of tests, including setup, instrumentation, and data collection.
• Analyze test data and correlate it with analytical models, including Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
• Provide feedback to design teams to refine composite structure designs based on test results and analysis.
• Use test outcomes to validate and improve FEA models, ensuring alignment between analysis predictions and test articles.
• Investigate test failures and analyze structural performance to determine root causes and potential design or material improvements.
• Prepare detailed test reports, documenting test procedures, results, and recommendations for further development or certification.
• Provide input on damage tolerance and repair strategies based on testing outcomes.
• Ensure that all testing processes comply with industry regulations and standards, such as ASTM, FAA, and EASA guidelines.

You will report to the Head of Airframe & Interiors and your place of work will be at our main office located in Gothenburg, Sweden.

• 5+ years of experience in stress analysis and composite structural testing, with hands-on experience in aerospace testing environments.
• Strong experience in composite coupon testing, composite element testing, and full-scale testing of composite aircraft structures.
• Proficiency in FEA software such as NASTRAN, Hypermesh for correlating test results with analysis models.
• Knowledge of testing equipment, instrumentation (e.g., strain gauges, load cells, optical sensors), and data acquisition systems.
• Ability to analyze test data, perform failure analysis, and correlate experimental results with numerical simulations.
• Strong communication and report writing skills, with the ability to present complex technical data clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Familiarity with aerospace certification standards (e.g., FAA, EASA) is highly desirable.
• Excellent verbal & written communication skills in English
• Eagerness to work with others
• Passion for aircraft and electrification of the aviation industry

Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields.

We recommend you submit your application in English as soon as possible as selection and interviews are held continually.