Aerodynamics Engineer, Propulsion Integration (III/IV)

Zone 5 Technologies is redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems, developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions. They are seeking an Aerodynamics Engineer with propulsion design and integration experience to join their Aerodynamics team, focusing on aerodynamic design and analysis for advanced UAS.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for aerodynamic design of turbine engine flow paths (inlet, exhaust, secondary flows) on high performance UAV
• Conduct low, mid, and high fidelity CFD simulations to assess aerodynamic, mechanical, thermal, and aircraft performance impact of designs
• Develop and validate aerodynamic models using combinations of CFD, wind tunnel testing, and/or flight test data
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (structures, propulsion, controls, systems engineering) to integrate aerodynamic insights into the overall design
• Assist in the development of bench test, wind tunnel test, and flight test plans and data reduction and analysis
• Ownership of simulation propulsion modules and modeling fidelity
• Working proficiency and practical understanding of engine performance and modeling
• Preparing technical reports, presentations, and design documentation
• Present findings to key stakeholders and internal/external customers

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree plus relevant experience required
• 3-5 years of inlet/duct design and solving problems in aero-propulsion and integration of aerodynamics for aircraft and/or UAVs
• Demonstrable experience building and maintaining low and mid fidelity aerodynamic modeling tools
• Applied experience with a Navier-Stokes based CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, Fun3D) including geometry preparation, mesh generation, and simulation debugging
• Experience with data visualization tools, e.g. MATLAB & Python, Tecplot, ParaView and working in a version control environment, e.g. git
• Industrial wind tunnel testing: model design, techniques, instrumentation, and data reduction
• Applied designs in subsonic, transonic, and high-speed aerodynamics
• U.S. Citizenship or equivalent status required for defense-related work
• A Masters's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field is strongly preferred
• Security clearance (or eligibility) is a plus
• Expertise in Inlet/Exhaust Aerodynamic design and surfacing
• Aerodynamic bookkeeping of inlet installation effects and losses (ram, drag, moments, etc.)
• Engine performance modeling via common industry tools (NPSS, GasTurb, AxSTREAM, etc.)
• Expertise in inlet distortion and inlet/compressor interactions
• Rocket propulsion design and simulation
• Flight testing, telemetry analysis, and / or real-time simulation environments
• Working knowledge of applicable industry standards (MIL-STD, SAE ARP, etc.)