Design Engineer

About the Role

GE Aerospace Research is seeking an early career Design Engineer for the Advanced Concepts & Prototypes team. This role focuses on developing mechanical design expertise and building leadership skills by creating prototype hardware to advance new technologies from concept to application-focused demonstrations.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently design moderately complex prototype components, brackets, fixtures, and test-article features using computer-aided design (CAD) tools, design-for-manufacturing principles, material standards, and basic tolerance analysis.
• Create and maintain accurate three-dimensional models, engineering drawings, bills of material, and product-lifecycle management (PLM) records in accordance with GE Aerospace design practices.
• Evaluate how component and subassembly designs affect system interfaces, alignment, assembly, manufacturability, safety, and test fidelity; identify related design risks and develop practical mitigations.
• Troubleshoot moderate design issues involving tolerance stack-ups, clearances, fit, and assembly sequence; seek guidance from experienced engineers on complex or unfamiliar problems.
• Develop and compare design alternatives, including commercial-off-the-shelf versus custom hardware, and conduct focused feasibility assessments.
• Collaborate with researchers, analysts, test engineers, machinists, manufacturing teams, and assembly technicians to convert prototype objectives into buildable hardware and support design reviews, manufacturing, assembly, hardware checkout, and test activities.
• Take responsibility for assigned design deliverables and communicate decisions, status, technical issues, and schedule risks using drawings, tolerance analyses, clearance assessments, and other engineering evidence.
• Seek and apply feedback, adapt when requirements change, and contribute ideas that improve CAD and PLM workflows.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM discipline.
• Must be willing to work from the GE Aerospace Research office in Niskayuna, New York.
• Projects may require active U.S. Government security clearance. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• U.S. citizenship is required due to project requirements and potential access to Controlled Unclassified Information or classified information.
• Relocation assistance is available.
• Some travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Prior internship, co-op, or research experience involving hands-on mechanical design, prototype hardware, manufacturing, assembly, inspection, troubleshooting, or testing.
• Experience with three-dimensional computer-aided design (CAD), engineering drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), tolerance analysis, design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA), or product-lifecycle management (PLM) tools.
• Exceptional academic performance with a research orientation, including thesis work, publications, presentations, patents, or open-source contributions.
• A humble and inclusive working style that seeks learning, feedback, and diverse technical perspectives.
• A focused, rigorous, and transparent approach that uses data, hypotheses, experiments, clear communication, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to reach evidence-based technical decisions and connect engineering work to program impact.
• Demonstrated initiative through technical projects, university activities, professional organizations, or community involvement.