Aerodynamicist

aptera; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock option grants

Fully funded benefits package

Generous Flexible Time Away policy

Job summary

Aptera in Carlsbad, California, is seeking an Aerodynamics Engineer to ensure the aerodynamic integrity of their solar electric vehicles. This role demands a detail-oriented, hands-on approach to continually improve vehicle design while working collaboratively with cross-functional engineering teams.

The ideal candidate will possess a B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Automotive Engineering and have substantial experience in aerodynamic analysis. Benefits include competitive compensation and a fully funded benefits package.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a resource-constrained, high-stakes environment.
• Hands-on CFD experience with simulation setup and interpretation.
• Experience in practical aerodynamic analysis through CFD and physical testing.

Responsibilities

• Own aerodynamic integrity of the production vehicle.
• Support engineering leads with aerodynamic trade-off analysis.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce drag and improve vehicle stability.

Skills

Aerodynamic analysis

CFD simulation

Systems thinking

Education

B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Automotive Engineering

Tools

STAR-CCM+

ANSYS Fluent

CATIA

Job description

Aptera Motors

is dedicated to building a future where every journey is powered by the sun. We specialize in creating solar electric vehicles that revolutionize the way we travel, providing sustainable and efficient transportation solutions.

Company Culture

is built on transparency, ethical treatment of one another, a bias for action, and leading by example.

Title

Carlsbad, California | Engineering | Full-time

About the role

Aptera has already done the hard part: designing one of the most aerodynamically efficient vehicles ever built for public roads. Your job is to make sure it stays that way — through production, iteration, and every engineering decision that touches airflow.

This is a highly collaborative, detail-oriented role. You will be the aerodynamics conscience of the vehicle program — partnering daily with founders, the SVP of Engineering, and cross?functional team leads to ensure that the low-drag, high-efficiency ethos is preserved at every stage of design and build.

What you'll do

• Own aerodynamic integrity of the production vehicle. Review and approve (or flag) panel gaps, fit tolerances, surface changes, and design modifications before they ship, every millimeter matters.
• Support engineering leads across body, chassis, thermal, and powertrain teams with aerodynamic trade-off analysis: drag vs. cooling, frontal area vs. cabin space, downforce vs. efficiency.
• Leverage CFD intelligently — knowing when simulation is sufficient, when a wind tunnel is warranted, and when Tufts tape and a GoPro on a back road will tell you everything you need. Then go do it yourself.
• Drive continuous improvement — identify opportunities to reduce drag further or improve stability with each product revision, keeping Aptera ahead of its own benchmarks.
• Get your hands dirty — instrument the vehicle for aerodynamic measurement, apply clay modifications to test surface changes, run tuft visualization, and drive the vehicle yourself to collect data when needed. This is not a desk job.
• Ensure stability compliance — confirm that all configurations meet management?defined drag and stability requirements before sign-off.

Qualifications

• Proven you can think rigorously about aerodynamics in a resource-constrained, high?stakes environment.
• Competition background strongly preferred — SCCA road racing, SAE Supermileage, Formula SAE, or a university solar car team (e.g., American Solar Challenge, World Solar Challenge). If you’ve stayed up until 2am arguing about a spoiler lip angle, you’re an ideal candidate.
• Hands-on CFD experience — STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, or similar.
• Skilled to set up a simulation, but more importantly, you know when not to trust it.
• Correlation with the real world – You know what to do when simulated results don’t match wind tunnel results, and those don’t match the track data.
• Systems thinking — you can hold Cd, weight, battery range, thermal management, and manufacturing cost in your head at once and communicate the trade-offs clearly to non-aero engineers.
• Execution focus — the vehicle exists. Your most important job isn’t reimagining it; it’s protecting what makes it extraordinary while helping it get better.

Preferred Qualifications

• Competitive racing or solar vehicle program experience.
• Familiarity with automotive surface modeling (CATIA, NX, SolidWorks).
• Experience with pressure tap instrumentation, wake surveys, or flow visualization techniques.
• Wind tunnel experience - academic or commercial - including instrumentation setup and data reduction.
• Comfort with clay modeling and surface modification for rapid shape iteration.
• Valid driver’s license and genuine comfort behind the wheel of a test vehicle.

Team Structure

• Individual contributor; collaborate with other teams and individuals, as necessary

Required Experience

• Practical aerodynamic analysis experience: CFD, physical testing, or both.
• Strong communicator — you can explain drag penalties to others without being condescending.

Educational Requirements

• B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Automotive Engineering (or equivalent demonstrated experience)

Salary + Benefits

• Market competitive compensation package
• Stock option grants
• Fully funded benefits package for employee + dependents
• Generous Flexible Time Away policy