Aerothermal Engineer

PAE Government Services Inc.; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement benefits (401(k) matching)

Paid time off and holidays

Educational reimbursement

Parental leave

Employee stock purchase plan

Tax-saving options

Disability and life insurance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Amentum seeks an Aerothermal Engineer to join the JETSII contract, applying high‑speed aerothermodynamics to human‑rated spacecraft. You will work with NASA CFD tools to analyze entry trajectories, generate grids, and visualize results, translating ground tests and flight data into actionable insights.

The role requires strong communication in a team environment with NASA civil servants and contractors. Relevant degrees and experience align with multiple levels, offering growth and challenging

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor's degree in Engineering with experience in the field or in a related area.

Responsibilities

• Apply knowledge of high-speed Earth entry aerothermodynamics to human-rated spacecraft.
• Utilize NASA Aerothermal CFD solvers for spacecraft entry analysis.
• Create CFD grids utilizing grid generation software.
• Create CFD visualizations.
• Analyze and interpret ground test and flight data from aerodynamic and aerothermal perspectives.
• Perform detailed aerothermodynamic analysis over a wide range of flight regimes.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

Aerothermodynamics

NASA CFD

Hypersonics

C++

Python

Tecplot

Paraview

Pointwise

BL transition

AI/ML

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Ph.D in Engineering

Tools

DPLR

LAURA

LociCHEM

US3D

HyperSolve

FUN3D

Pointwise

Hypermesh

Tecplot

Paraview

Job description

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you! We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA’s pursuits in deep space exploration. As NASA’s largest engineering solutions provider working together with NASA at centers across the United States.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Aerothermal Engineer to join the JETSII Contract.

The Aerothermal Engineer will:

• Apply knowledge of high-speed Earth entry aerothermodynamics to human-rated spacecraft.
• Utilize NASA Aerothermal CFD solvers for spacecraft entry analysis.
• Create CFD grids utilizing grid generation software.
• Create CFD visualizations.
• Analyze and interpret ground test and flight data from aerodynamic and aerothermal perspectives.
• Perform detailed aerothermodynamic analysis over a wide range of flight regimes.
• Perform other duties as required.

This position has been posted at multiple levels. Depending on the candidate’s experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

Requisition Qualifications:

• Typically requires a bachelor's degree in Engineering with experience in the field or in a related area.
• BS degree in engineering from an accredited engineering school and eight (8) years of direct engineering experience, or an MS degree from an accredited engineering school and five (5) years of direct engineering experience, or a Ph.D.
• Expertise in high-speed aerothermodynamics
• Experience with a NASA Aerothermal CFD solver (DPLR, LAURA, LociCHEM, US3D, HyperSolve, FUN3D)
• Expertise in entry vehicles including supersonic and hypersonic flows, aerodynamics, trajectories, and aerothermodynamic
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment consisting of NASA civil servants and various contractor employees

Requisition Preferences:

• MS or Ph.D. in Mechanical or Aerospace engineering
• Expertise in interpretation of ground test and flight data
• Experience with hypersonic test facilities
• Expertise in boundary layer transition modeling
• Familiarity with cavity, protuberance, blowing, and roughness induced boundary layer transition
• Experience with CFD database management and post processing automation for dissemination of downstream products
• Experience automating analyses with programming tools like C++ and python
• Experience with CFD visualization tools like Tecplot, Fieldview, or Paraview
• Experience with CFD grid generation software like Pointwise or Hypermesh
• Experience with modern software best practices like software repositories and CI/CD
• Experience utilizing AI/ML techniques
• Experience with configuration management

Why Join Our Team?

• Excellent personal and professional career growth
• 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off), when applicable
• Onsite cafeteria (breakfast & lunch)
• Much, much more!

Compensation Details:

EN1-EN4

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good-faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)
• Educational reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tax-saving options
• Disability and life insurance
• Pet insurance

Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.

Original Posting: 07/31/2026 - Until Filled

Amentum anticipates this job requisition will remain open for at least three days, with a closing date no earlier than three days after the original posting. This timeline may change based on business needs.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, ancestry, United States military or veteran status, color, religion, creed, marital or domestic partner status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, citizenship status, low‑income status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal laws and supplemental language at Labor Laws Posters.

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