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Dominion Dynamics is seeking an Aircraft Configuration & Layout Engineer to own the 3D arrangement and integration of autonomous aircraft platforms. You will be responsible for translating mission requirements into real vehicle designs, managing the critical spatial trades between propulsion, structures, avionics, and payload systems on clean-sheet platforms built on startup timelines.
Key responsibilities include defining aircraft geometry and outer mold lines from concept through preliminary design review; integrating subsystems including propulsion, fuel/energy storage, landing gear, avionics, sensors, and specialized payloads; optimizing internal volume and center-of-gravity while preserving maintenance access; running aerodynamic drag buildups, range/endurance, and mission-profile analyses; establishing and maintaining the program weight and balance baseline; executing rapid trade studies on geometry, wing design, engine selection, and payload integration; holding the configuration baseline across all engineering disciplines; resolving integration conflicts between aerodynamics, structures, avionics, and flight controls; leading configuration reviews for major milestones (SRR, SDR, PDR); and benchmarking competitor and adversary unmanned systems using open-source intelligence to inform capability-gap analysis and business development.
You will report to the Head of Engineering / ACP Program Lead and serve as the primary technical interface between discipline leads, catching spatial, weight, dynamic, and thermal conflicts early in the design cycle. The role requires deep expertise in aircraft configuration and layout, with a track record of owning baselines through preliminary design. Required skills include fluency with 3D CAD for full-aircraft layout and configuration-level packaging trades, strong command of aircraft performance analysis, hands-on weight and balance management, and the ability to make defensible engineering decisions under uncertainty at startup velocity. Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Canadian security clearance (Secret or higher). Experience with uncrewed platforms, unconventional configurations, competitive intelligence on unmanned systems, CG-driven layout on ISR or contested-environment platforms, Arctic/cold-weather design, or exposure to RCAF/DND/NATO airworthiness pathways is a bonus. No defence background is required.
