What are the responsibilities and job description for the Aircraft Modifications Lead Structures Engineer position at Metrea?
Company Overview
Metrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas—including airborne ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refueling, special mission aviation, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation.
Wherever we operate, we build vertically integrated full stacks of capability—designing, building, and operating turnkey solutions that let customers scale capacity while benefiting from continuous cycles of innovation. With operators and engineers under one roof, we close the gap between lab and field—what we call connecting design with effect.
Metrea’s solutions are built for elegance: effective, efficient, and evolving. This approach enables our partners to do more with less and achieve outsized, asymmetric advantage against rapidly evolving threats.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, Metrea has facilities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond.
This role site within the AeroSpace Design (ASD) area of Metrea.
Aerospace Engineering Group (AERO) provides an integrated, end-to-end capability for the rapid modification and fielding of mission-specific aircraft. The Airborne Asset Adaptation (A3) Cell acts as the central command and coordination hub, managing requirements and external interfaces from inception to operational delivery. Specialized technical execution is delivered by the Aircraft Integration Centre (AIC), a Part 145 facility focused on airframe modification, and Aerospace Design (ASD), which provides organic design engineering and FAA-authorized certification. Collectively, these elements bridge the gap between initial requirements and the deployment of flight-certified, mission-ready assets.
Position Summary
In the Aircraft Modifications Lead Structures Engineer role, you will provide guidance, priorities and assistance to engineers designing and certifying the integration of structural provisions and modifications on general aviation, business, transport and military derivative aircraft. This role will support major alterations and Supplemental Type Certificate development managed by both the FAA and the Peregrine ODA within Metrea Aerospace Design.
What You’ll Do
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, and 2 years (required) of relevant design and installation of avionics systems.
Computer Skills: SolidWorks, Microsoft Office Suite.
Our Firmware
At Metrea, our single core value, Rooted in Humility, and our four cornerstone attributes—Entrepreneurial, Systematic, Discerning, and Over-Deliver. These form what we call our Teammate Firmware. Just like technical firmware connects software and hardware, our Firmware is the constant interface between our mission and our people. It defines how we show up, how we work together, and how we solve complex problems.
Our team Firmware creates a web-like, hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical way of working that helps us adapt quickly, communicate openly, and distribute decision-making to where expertise actually lives. It enables groups to self-organize around hard problems, shift fluidly as priorities evolve, and operate with the trust, curiosity, and discipline required in a complex mission space. This foundation allows us to deliver elegant, effective solutions and uphold our purpose: protecting our precious inheritance.
Benefits
Comprehensive medical plan options
HSA/FSA accounts
Dental and vision coverage
6% employer 401(k) match
Fully paid parental leave for all new parents
Generous PTO
Life and disability insurance
Long-term and Short-term disability coverage
AD&D Coverage
Pet Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Subsidized gym membership / plans through Wellhub
Work Authorization / Security Clearance
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
US citizenship is required. Security clearance not required.
Candidates will be subject to a background investigation in accordance with federal requirements.
AAP/EEO Statement
This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time exempt position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with department and business needs. Exempt Employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require.
Work Location
Tampa, FL
Work Environment
This job operates in an office setting
Travel
Less than 20%
Metrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas—including airborne ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refueling, special mission aviation, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation.
Wherever we operate, we build vertically integrated full stacks of capability—designing, building, and operating turnkey solutions that let customers scale capacity while benefiting from continuous cycles of innovation. With operators and engineers under one roof, we close the gap between lab and field—what we call connecting design with effect.
Metrea’s solutions are built for elegance: effective, efficient, and evolving. This approach enables our partners to do more with less and achieve outsized, asymmetric advantage against rapidly evolving threats.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, Metrea has facilities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond.
This role site within the AeroSpace Design (ASD) area of Metrea.
Aerospace Engineering Group (AERO) provides an integrated, end-to-end capability for the rapid modification and fielding of mission-specific aircraft. The Airborne Asset Adaptation (A3) Cell acts as the central command and coordination hub, managing requirements and external interfaces from inception to operational delivery. Specialized technical execution is delivered by the Aircraft Integration Centre (AIC), a Part 145 facility focused on airframe modification, and Aerospace Design (ASD), which provides organic design engineering and FAA-authorized certification. Collectively, these elements bridge the gap between initial requirements and the deployment of flight-certified, mission-ready assets.
Position Summary
In the Aircraft Modifications Lead Structures Engineer role, you will provide guidance, priorities and assistance to engineers designing and certifying the integration of structural provisions and modifications on general aviation, business, transport and military derivative aircraft. This role will support major alterations and Supplemental Type Certificate development managed by both the FAA and the Peregrine ODA within Metrea Aerospace Design.
What You’ll Do
- Provide direct supervision of the structural design team, including setting priorities and expectations, labor tracking and employee performance appraisals.
- Coordinate with management and other team leads to determine priorities, identify issues and apply resources in support of organizational goals.
- Review project requirements including Statement(s) of Work.
- Review and approve SolidWorks drawings for compliance with project requirements, including aircraft sheet metal parts, machined parts, and composite materials, applying aircraft design standards, standard aviation hardware and industry practices.
- Provide team guidance and technical review of drawings for proper application of engineering principles such as structural load paths, material properties, corrosion protection, electrical and thermal conductivity, noise and vibration, aerodynamic characteristics, weight and balance, electromagnetic interference, complex shapes and surfaces, and regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrate strong attention to detail.
- Multi-task and maintain a positive attitude in a fast paced, changing environment.
- Four year engineering degree preferred.
- 8-15 years working experience in designing/engineering the installation of aircraft equipment, ideally in a special missions modification environment.
- 2-5 years of engineering leadership experience preferred.
- Good written and oral communication skills
- USA Passport, available for domestic & international travel (occasional)
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, and 2 years (required) of relevant design and installation of avionics systems.
Computer Skills: SolidWorks, Microsoft Office Suite.
Our Firmware
At Metrea, our single core value, Rooted in Humility, and our four cornerstone attributes—Entrepreneurial, Systematic, Discerning, and Over-Deliver. These form what we call our Teammate Firmware. Just like technical firmware connects software and hardware, our Firmware is the constant interface between our mission and our people. It defines how we show up, how we work together, and how we solve complex problems.
Our team Firmware creates a web-like, hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical way of working that helps us adapt quickly, communicate openly, and distribute decision-making to where expertise actually lives. It enables groups to self-organize around hard problems, shift fluidly as priorities evolve, and operate with the trust, curiosity, and discipline required in a complex mission space. This foundation allows us to deliver elegant, effective solutions and uphold our purpose: protecting our precious inheritance.
Benefits
Comprehensive medical plan options
HSA/FSA accounts
Dental and vision coverage
6% employer 401(k) match
Fully paid parental leave for all new parents
Generous PTO
Life and disability insurance
Long-term and Short-term disability coverage
AD&D Coverage
Pet Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Subsidized gym membership / plans through Wellhub
Work Authorization / Security Clearance
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
US citizenship is required. Security clearance not required.
Candidates will be subject to a background investigation in accordance with federal requirements.
AAP/EEO Statement
This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time exempt position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with department and business needs. Exempt Employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require.
Work Location
Tampa, FL
Work Environment
This job operates in an office setting
Travel
Less than 20%