Aerothermal Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 245,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Education assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab is seeking an engineer to design and analyze aerothermal capabilities of precision engagement weapon systems. The candidate will work on projects supporting the U.S. Department of War and utilize expertise in aerothermodynamics and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Minimum qualifications include a B.S. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering and 5+ years of relevant experience. The role involves conducting analyses, applying CFD models, and supporting wind tunnel tests.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in conducting CFD simulations and running wind tunnel tests.
• Ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.

Responsibilities

• Conduct aerothermal analyses for hypersonic flight vehicles.
• Apply high-fidelity CFD models to predict aerodynamic heating.
• Support design and evaluation of thermal protection systems.

Skills

CFD simulations

MATLAB scripting

Aerothermal analysis

Programming in Python

Education

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CFD++

US3D

Pointwise

Job description

Are you searching for impactful aerothermal work furthering innovative technologies, especially in the area of hypersonics? Do you enjoy working with a team of forward-thinking engineers to improve our capability to predict advanced high-speed flow phenomena?

If so, we’re looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking an engineer to design and analyze aerothermal capabilities of new and existing precision engagement weapon systems. As a member of our team, you will contribute to exciting projects supporting several sponsors, including the U.S. Department of War. Our team strives to develop, apply, and maintain deep expertise in aerothermodynamics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and ground and flight testing. You will work alongside experts who have a real passion for conducting research to advance our country’s capabilities.

Responsibilities

• You will conduct aerothermal analyses for hypersonic flight vehicles operating in high-temperature, high-enthalpy flow environments.
• You will apply high-fidelity CFD and multi-physics models to predict aerodynamic heating, boundary layer transition, shock interactions, and aerothermal loads.
• You will support the design, evaluation, and maturation of thermal protection systems (TPS), high-temperature materials, and thermal management technologies.
• You will analyze aerothermal interactions associated with air-breathing and rocket-based hypersonic propulsion systems.
• You will plan and conduct wind tunnel tests and perform post-test analysis. You will support associated test activities including pre-test predictions, test design, instrumentation requirements, and documentation.
• You will craft reports and presentations to communicate results to team members and government partners.

Minimum Qualifications

• Have a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Have 5+ years of experience in conducting CFD simulations, running wind tunnel tests, or analyzing and developing aerothermal predictions.
• Have prior experience coding and using MATLAB scripts and functions.
• Have excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Are willing and able to travel occasionally to attend meetings or tests at other government and contractor sites.
• Are able to obtain a Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Have a M.S. or Ph.D. degree or equivalent experience in weapon system design and development with a focus on aerothermodynamics.
• Have experience with CFD++, US3D, Kestrel, or other advanced DoD or commercial CFD codes, as well as experience generating high-quality CFD meshes using Pointwise, Link3D, GridPro, or other grid generation tools.
• Have strong programming skills in Bash (or similar shell equivalent) and/or Python.
• Have shown initiative, motivation, and flexibility.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Salary

Minimum Rate: $100,000 Annually

Maximum Rate: $245,000 Annually