Aerodynamics Engineer

PLD Space; Elche; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Physiotherapy

Health insurance discount

Family health insurance

Healthy snacks

Paid vacation

Flexible schedule

Learning & development

Restaurant tickets

Transport contributions

Training support

Job summary

PLD Space in Elche, Spain, is seeking an Aerodynamics Engineer to predict aerodynamic environments during ascent and re-entry and to provide design solutions for MIURA 5 launch vehicles. You will build CFD meshes, analyze external aerodynamics, and correlate flight data with simulations to improve launcher performance.

The role includes developing in‑house software, contributing to aero-thermodynamics studies, and selecting sensors for data acquisition.

Qualifications

• BSc in Aerospace Engineering or equivalent.
• 2–3 years of industry experience preferred.
• Proficiency with CFD software and Matlab.

Responsibilities

• Build CFD meshes for aerodynamic force and moment predictions.
• Analyse external aerodynamics and optimise launch vehicle geometries.
• Correlate flight test data with CFD models to improve accuracy.
• Develop and validate in-house software for launcher performance.
• Support aero-thermodynamics analysis across mission phases, including reentry.

Skills

Matlab

CFD

English

Aerodynamics

Education

BSc in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

ANSYS

Job description

About PLD:

PLD Space is an international companyon a mission to transport satellites into space, vertically integrating the engineering, testing, manufacturing, and operations of its reusable and sustainable rockets. Headquartered in Elche (Spain) and founded in 2011 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú, PLD Space hasestablisheditself as a global benchmark in the small satellite launch sector. Its family of MIURA launchers and LINCE crewed capsulepositionthe company as a leader in European technological sovereignty for space transportation, covering the full spectrum of space missions.

PLD Spaceoperatesover 188,000 m² of facilities in Elche, Teruel (Spain), Kourou (French Guiana), and Duqm (Oman), enabling the company to provide comprehensive satellite and payload launch services into space.

Teamwork, courage, determination and ambition enable PLD Space to guarantee an autonomous, independent satellite space access capability, based on reliability at a globally competitive price. The company is able to offer best-in-class launch services to commercial satellite operators, institutions, space agencies and national and international governmental entities

Mission

As an aerodynamics engineer your mission is topredictaerodynamic environments, in ascent and re‑entry phase, whileproviding design solutions for MIURA 5 launch vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Building Computational Fluid Dynamic meshes for aerodynamic force and moment predictions (including creating geometries, meshing, runningsimulations, validating, and post processing output information).
• Analyse External Aerodynamics of Launch Vehicles and Optimize LaunchVehicles’ geometries from a fluidic perspective.
• Correlation of Flight Test Data and wind tunnel test data to CFDModels.
• Development, analysis and validation of in‑house software to predict launcher vehicles performance.
• Contribute performing heat transfer and associated aerothermodynamicsanalysis on various mission phases, including atmospheric reentryscenarios.
• Help selecting proper sensor and dataacquisition systems for capturing aerodynamic data and modelcorrelation.

Necessary Requirements

• BSc in Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent.
• Minimum of 2-3 years of industry experience.
• Knowledge and experience with commercial CFD software, such asANSYS.
• Knowledge and experience modelling external aerodynamics, bothsubsonic and supersonic.
• Knowledge and experience with structural load estimation and calculation via CFD analysis.
• Proficiency with programming languages, such as Matlab.
• Strong background in fluid mechanics and maths.
• Experience in modelling physical behaviour through mathematicalmodels.
• Knowledge of CFD best practices and troubleshooting.

Desired Requirements

• English
• Stress Tolerance
• Problem solving
• Multitasking
• Results-oriented
• Workload capacity
• Autonomy

Valued Competencies

• Experience with Wind Tunnel Testing is a plus.
• Experience in acoustics and aeroelasticity.
• Experience in combustion and phase change simulations.
• Experience with Unsteady Aerodynamic Simulations is a plus, URANS,LES, DNS.
• Knowledge and experience with coupled fluid structure interactionflows.
• Experience in supersonic flow.
• Experience with reactive flows, injection, and atomization processesis a plus.
• Knowledge of thermal modelling and simulation tools.
• Knowledge and experience in aerodynamic reentry analysis andsimulations.

Benefits

Health& Wellness

• Physiotherapywithin our facilities
• 50%discount on your health insurance
• Youcan sign-up your family members with health insurance at a competitive price.
• Healthysnacks and lots of fruit

Findbalance

• 23 days of paid vacation plusDecember 24th and 31st
• Flexible work schedule

Neverstop learning

• We encourage practical learning
• We promote professional developmentthrough internal mobility and teamwork

Focuson your financial future

• Childcare flexible contributions
• Restaurant tickets
• Transport flexible contributions
• Training support

Values

Wehave five critical beliefs that guide the way PLD Space is shaping the futureof space launch technologies.

• Teamwork.
• Hardwork.
• Dynamism.
• Commitment.
• Keepit simple.

Joinus to reinvent how rockets are built!