Senior Aerodynamics Analyst: Hypersonics CFD Lead

Rocket Lab Corp.; Auckland; Remote; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Senior Aerodynamics Analyst to join the Thermofluids Analysis team, responsible for predicting aerodynamics and aerothermal environments for Neutron across mission phases. This hands-on role requires strong CFD skills and collaboration with design and test engineers.

You will generate aerotables, run CFD analyses in Fluent/CFX/STAR-CCM+, model plumes, assess heating, margins, and work with GNC and test teams to enable safe landings of Neutron's first

Qualifications

• A degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 5+ years industry experience in aerospace, automotive, or marine.
• A keen physics and first principles-based approach to problem solving.
• Expertise with one or more industry standard CFD packages: Fluent, CFX, STAR-CCM+.
• Experience in engineering programming, especially using Python (including numpy, pandas, scipy, matplotlib).
• Demonstrated ability executing to changing deadlines in a high-pressure and fast-paced work environment.

Responsibilities

• Generate aerotables and characterise vehicle performance—stability, control authority, loads, pressure distributions, and aerodynamic design of vehicle control surfaces.
• Perform, validate, and document CFD analyses of external flow across hypersonic, transonic and subsonic regimes, and characterise aerodynamic and heating environments, transients, and separation events.
• Model plumes and plume interactions (base heating, PIFS, impingement) and define re-entry architecture, including ballistic coefficients, ConOps, and compartment venting.
• Work with design and test engineers to iterate concepts, determine test requirements, and demonstrate margins through numerical analysis and physical testing.
• Collaborate with GNC to enable safe landing and recovery of Neutron’s 1st Stage.
• Process and interpret ground test and flight data—confirming MPE bounds, detecting out-of-family results, and resolving sensor issues.

Skills

CFD software

Python programming

Physics-based problem solving

High-pressure environment

Education

Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Fluent

CFX

STAR-CCM+

NX CAD

Job description

Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand, seeks a Senior Aerodynamics Analyst to join the Thermofluids Analysis team, responsible for predicting aerodynamics and aerothermal environments for Neutron across mission phases. This hands-on role requires strong CFD skills and collaboration with design and test engineers.

You will generate aerotables, run CFD analyses in Fluent/CFX/STAR-CCM+, model plumes, assess heating, margins, and work with GNC and test teams to enable safe landings of Neutron's first