Principal Aerospace Engineer
AEVEX
Tampa, FL · Posted May 6, 2026
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Where Tampa, FL ranks
Where Tampa, FL placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #5Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Southeast194 jobs · of 72
- #9Cities hosting the most business conferences in the Southeast10 conferences · of 21
- #13Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southeast275 openings · of 65
- #13Best all-round cities for new graduates in the Southeast55 / 100 · of 33
- #14Best cities for junior jobs in Florida33% · of 21
- #15Best cities for professional services pay after cost of living$129k · of 25
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among aerospace engineers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for aerospace engineers: 8% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
Work Arrangement Onsite with occasional travel. Periods of development may require long irregular hours around deadlines, which can include weekends some holidays.
Job Overview The Principal Aeromechanical Engineer is responsible for leading and overseeing the design, development, and testing of aeromechanical systems and components. They collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful integration of aerodynamic, mechanical, and structural elements in aircraft and spacecraft designs. They provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers, contribute to project management activities, and stay updated on industry trends and advancements in aeromechanical engineering.
Essential Functions • Lead the design and development of UAS products and subsystems. • Build and tests prototype systems to validate designs • Make decisions for design challenges and coordination with multidisciplinary engineering groups • Evaluate performance of all vehicle designs from initial concept to complete production-ready design • Conduct presentations (Formal and Informal) on designs. • Uses scientific and engineering principles to assess deficiencies in any given design and the impact of potential changes • Makes complex decisions to meet stated and derived requirements • Complete assigned tasks within the project schedule and budget • Provide guidance and mentorship to others in both their discipline and company values • Conduct FEA and CFD simulation analysis on aircraft and powerplants Design airframes and other aeromechanical parts • Act as an interface to customers as ideas are communicated
Standard Essential Functions Regular and reliable attendance on a full time basis [or in accordance with posted schedule]. Responsible for exhibiting professional behavior with both internal and external business associates that reflects positively on the company and is consistent with the company's policies and practices. Embodies AEVEX’s cultural values and aligns daily actions with department goals and company culture.
Qualifications and Competencies • Demonstrated competence in Mechanical Engineering processes and design/analysis tools, solving Mechanics & Kinematics problems, solving Thermodynamics problems • Experienced in successfully designing mil-y electronics products • Understanding of metallic, plastic, and composite material properties • Ability to solve basic structural dynamics problems • Proficiency in SolidWorks, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is required • Understanding of industry design and documentation standards (GD&T, ASME, Change Control, etc.) • Experienced with designing machined parts, composite parts, injection molded parts, sheet metal parts, wire assemblies, and mechanical assemblies for low, medium, and high-volume manufacturing processes • Experienced with mechanical, lab, field, flight, and environmental testing • Understanding of engineering configuration management processes • Ability to work with high-level program requirements, organize, schedule, and delegate tasks to an engineering team • Ability to provide leadership to the team
Education / Certifications • Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering. • Master's Degree preferred.
Experience • Minimum of 10+ years of experience in a progressive technical capacity within an engineering organization
Physical Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties the employee is:
Frequently required to sit, and to reach to use computers and other office equipment
Security Clearance • Ability to obtain/maintain a Top Secret/SCI DoD clearance, U.S. Citizenship required.
About AEVEX
AEVEX, headquartered in Solana Beach, California, supports the U.S. national security mission and partner nation needs around the world by providing full-spectrum aviation, remote sensing, and analysis solutions. The company's capabilities include custom design and engineering; rapid prototyping; sensor integration and sustainment; aircraft modification and certification; flight test instrumentation and support; mission operations service; advanced intelligence data processing, exploitation, and dissemination solutions; and tailored hardware and software mission-system tools. AEVEX uses agile and customized approaches to rapidly define, develop, and deliver specialized solutions for airborne special mission needs for the U.S. Government, partner nations, and commercial businesses. AEVEX has major offices in California, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.
AEVEX provides a full suite of comprehensive benefits, including a 401(k)-retirement plan, comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability and Life insurance group coverage with a portion of the premiums paid by the company, professional development funds, and an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) with counseling, legal help, child and elder care support, among other benefits for qualified employees.
Recruitment Communication Notice: All official correspondence regarding your application, application status, interviews, or the AEVEX hiring process will come directly from an AEVEX representative using an @aevex.com email address or through Greenhouse , our applicant tracking system. Please use caution with communications claiming to represent AEVEX from other email domains, and always verify the sender before responding or providing personal information.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
AEVEX is an Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, breast feeding and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, military and veteran status, marital status, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, physical disability, mental disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.