Aerodynamic Environments Engineer 

Job Summary

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly-trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments. 

The Aerodynamic Environments Section within the Fluid Mechanics Department provides design and analysis support for aerodynamic environments of space, launch, and reentry vehicles.  As an Aerodynamic Environments Engineer (Member of Technical Staff / Senior Member of Technical Staff)- Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering, you will work with both internal and external customers participating as a technical authority on aerodynamic and fluid mechanics topics. 

Work Model 

This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, offering a hybrid work model that combines regular onsite work and remote flexibility as the business needs allow. 

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Conduct analyses, modeling, planning and reviewing functions associated with aerodynamic environments pertaining to space, launch, and reentry vehicles  
• Analyze and assess steady and transient internal and external flows ranging from subsonic to hypersonic regimes   
• Develop new modeling and analysis tools, as needed  
• Participate in multi-disciplinary engineering teams to resolve technical issues  
• Support on-site and off-site technical interchange meetings, review of contractor analyses, wind tunnel testing, and mission assurance reviews  
• Work closely with program offices and interface with contractors, government personnel, research laboratories, and academia  

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements for the Member of Technical Staff position:  

• Masters degree in aerospace, aeronautical, or mechanical engineering is required
• A minimum of (2) years of academic research or applicable professional industry experience in fluid mechanics is required
• Coursework and projects in the field/subject of aerodynamics and fluid mechanics related to space, launch, and reentry vehicles  
• Demonstrated use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques  
• Willingness to occasionally travel to support customer needs, approximately 5% (as required)  
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.  
• Transcripts are required for candidates with (5) or less years of professional industry experience, post-graduation from Bachelor’s/Masters/PhD degree. Please be sure to upload both Undergrad and Graduate transcripts  

In addition to the above, the minimum requirements for the Senior Member of Technical Staff position include: 

• A minimum of (5) years of academic research or applicable professional industry experience in fluid mechanics is required

How You Can Stand Out  

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these: 

• PhD degree in aerospace, aeronautical, or mechanical engineering is preferred
• (8) or more years of applicable professional industry experience is highly desirable 
• Graduate-level coursework in incompressible flows, compressible flows, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, computational fluid dynamics  
• Experience in analyzing aerodynamic flight and/or experimental data