Aerothermal Engineer

This position provides the opportunity to perform impactful work on a variety of projects that directly supports several hypersonic programs within the Department of Defense and NASA. Candidates with interest and expertise in the areas of hypersonics, material test and evaluation compressible flow, numerical analysis, grid generation, computational fluid dynamics, or thermal/aerothermal analysis are encouraged to apply. The candidate must be able to effectively and actively perform aerothermal and fluids analysis of high-speed systems, both independently and as part of a team. The candidate must show demonstrated competency in numerical grid generation and conjugate heat transfer to understand the relevant environments of interest. Analytical thinking, problem solving, communication, and detail orientation are key skills necessary for this position.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead numerical grid generation aspects of fluid, thermal, and fluid-structure interaction analyses, leveraging both structured and unstructured grids.
• Perform thermal/aerothermal and fluids modeling and analysis of hypersonic vehicles and reentry components to support vehicle evaluations and ground-based tests. Analysis is performed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and reduced-order modeling tools.
• Support the team in the development of modeling and simulation tools.
• Use engineering principals and judgement to evaluate performance of various systems tested in an arc jet environment.

Position Specific

• Lead numerical grid generation at various levels of fidelity based on specific objectives and timelines.
• Support derivation of aerothermal test conditions based on trajectory parameters and vehicle geometry.
• Estimate boundary conditions for thermal response predictions of various materials in hypersonic environment.
• Estimate thermal response of various materials in hypersonic environment.
• Produce inputs to technical reports and presentations of analyses and ground tests.
• Correlate CFD and thermal models to data collected from ground tests and other experimental results.
• Apply specific expertise and knowledge to provide technical solutions to complex problems and systems.
• Provide recommendations to improve ground tests, instrumentation, and understanding of component performance.
• Perform other duties as required by supervisor.

Organizational Core Values

• Integrity We adhere to a code of sound ethical behavior that builds trust and confidence in all we do. We clearly communicate expectations and provide reliable results and candid feedback to our employees, customers and stakeholders.
• Safety and environment We are an environmentally conscious, safety first organization. We value our employees and our planet and conduct our business consistent with that priority.
• Excellence We understand and consistently meet or exceed our internal and external customeris expectations. We are accountable for timelines, quality and cost.
• Individual and community focused We promote an open, collaborative and supportive environment by respecting the rights and contributions of every individual. We openly communicate information and ideas to our stakeholders; customers; employees; and the larger community.
• Innovation We explore ideas and create solutions to global needs. We use science and engineering to solve the worldis most difficult problems.

Job Specific Behaviors

• Motivated- Works independently and a self-starter who can thrive in a dynamic team environment to keep projects on track, resolve problems, and deliver results.
• Analytical Thinking and Detail Orientation- Small details constantly change that can have large impacts on over schedules or objectives. Identifying problems, troubleshooting and developing and implementing solutions requires detailed analysis in each task.
• Quality Orientation- Accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved; no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes, procedures and tasks; being watchful over a period of time.
• Planning and Organization- Systematically identifies issues to be addressed and plans a course of action for self to ensure the accomplishment of specific objectives. This position will require the ability to communicate and coordinate effectively with team members and customers. Candidate should have demonstrated history of effective verbal and written communication.

Minimum Qualifications

• US Citizenship required.
• Must be able to obtain/maintain security clearance at a level equivalent to Department of Defense (DOD) SECRET
• Masters or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• 1 year of directly related CFD analyst, numerical grid generation, or thermal analyst experience in aerothermal environments.
• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly in a complex, high technology environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of directly related experience modeling supersonic/hypersonic environments.
• Experience in creating structured and unstructured grids for supersonic/hypersonic flow environments and/or thermal modeling.
• Experience in modeling flow through converging-diverging nozzles.
• Experience in performing CFD of supersonic and hypersonic flow regimes for DoD customers.
• Experience with GridPro.