Principal Mechanical Engineer – Loads / Stress Full-time

• Position: Principal Mechanical Engineer – Loads / Stress
• Entity: ADASI
• Department: Engineering Services
• Location: Abu Dhabi

Key Responsibilities

• Develop aircraft-level loads for UAV systems, including: Maneuver loads (limit and ultimate cases), Gust and turbulence loads (where applicable), Ground loads (landing, taxi, handling, transportation), Propulsion and system-induced loads (thrust, inertia, vibration drivers), Payload and mission-dependent loads.
• Translate mission profiles and operational scenarios into design loads, working closely with Flight Mechanics, Aerodynamics, Systems, and Test teams.
• Define load cases, combinations, and envelopes, ensuring: Internal consistency across disciplines, Traceability to assumptions and mission definitions, Practical usability by stress and design teams.
• Establish and document loads methodologies, including: Assumptions and simplifications appropriate for UAV development, Use of empirical data, hand methods, and analytical models, Clear definition of validity ranges and limitations.
• Perform analytical and numerical loads analysis, using: First-principles calculations (free-body diagrams, inertia relief, load paths), Simplified models (beam models, lumped masses), FEM (primarily for load extraction and distribution, not detailed stress sizing).
• Provide load inputs to stress, design, and systems teams, including: Section loads, interface loads, and component-level loads, Time histories or envelopes when required, Clear definition of coordinate systems and reference conditions.
• Support multidisciplinary integration, ensuring loads are aligned with: Mass properties and CG evolution, Control laws and flight envelope assumptions, Structural layouts and load paths.
• Contribute to test definition and correlation, including: Ground and flight test instrumentation strategies (strain gauges, accelerometers), Back-calculation of loads from test data, Updating models and assumptions based on test evidence.
• Act as a situational technical leader by driving resolution of ambiguous or conflicting inputs, Challenging unrealistic assumptions, Providing technically sound direction during design reviews and critical decisions.
• Continuously improve engineering practices, contributing to: Loads process definition and refinement templates, calculation methods, and internal guidelines, Knowledge sharing across programs.

Educational Background

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (Master’s or PhD preferred).

Professional Experience

• Strong understanding of aircraft loads development, including maneuver, gust, and ground loads.
• Ability to translate real-world missions into engineering load cases, avoiding over-idealization.
• Solid grasp of: Rigid-body dynamics and inertia effects, Load paths and structural interaction.
• Basic aeroelastic considerations (at least at conceptual level).
• Experience with: Analytical tools (Excel, Python, MATLAB or similar), FEM tools (ANSYS, NASTRAN, Abaqus) for load extraction and distribution.
• Comfortable working with incomplete data, making justified engineering assumptions.

Standards & Compliance

• Familiarity with aerospace standards (EASA, FAA, MIL-STD) as guidance frameworks, with the ability to scale and adapt them to UAV and non-certified platforms.

Preferred Certifications

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Professional Engineer (PE) (nice to have).
• Experience contributing to internal methods, tools, or engineering processes.

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