Applied Aerodynamics Aerospace Engineer, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 102,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Telecommuting

Flexible schedules

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories seeks aeronautical engineers to design, analyze, and support hypersonic and rocket flight systems. You will work with teams across aerodynamics, flight mechanics, and simulation to shape hardware and mission planning.

Qualified candidates have a DoE Q-level clearance, a relevant Bachelor's, and strong experience with MATLAB/Simulink and Python/C++. Relocation and onsite work are available.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoE Q-level security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to multidisciplinary teams designing and testing hypersonic systems.
• Develop and validate multi-fidelity aerodynamic and flight models using analytic methods, CFD, and wind tunnel data.
• Analyze vehicle performance, stability, and control; deliver actionable characterizations.
• Build trajectory simulations and multidisciplinary models for design studies.

Skills

Security clearance (DoE Q)

Aerodynamics

Flight mechanics

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Python

C/C++

Job description

Location

Albuquerque, NM

Contract and Working Hours

Full-Time

Regular

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Work on flight programs that fly. Join a team that designs, analyzes, and supports real flight vehicles from early trades to hands-on flight test execution and post-flight reconstruction. You'll work in a schedule-driven environment where your aerodynamics, flight mechanics, and simulation work directly shape hardware, mission planning, and data-driven decisions.

We are seeking highly qualified, self-directed, results focused aeronautical and aerospace engineers who have strong interpersonal skills to support lab-wide efforts focusing on the application of aerodynamic and flight mechanics models for design and analysis of hypersonic reentry systems, atmospheric flight vehicles, and rocket systems.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Contribute to multidisciplinary teams supporting the design, development, and flight test of hypersonic vehicles, reentry bodies, and rocket systems.
• Develop and validate multi-fidelity aerodynamic and flight performance models using analytic methods, CFD, and wind-tunnel data.
• Analyze vehicle performance, stability, and control and deliver actionable aerodynamic characterizations.
• Build and apply 3DOF/6DOF trajectory simulations and multidisciplinary models for mission verification and conceptual design trade studies.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. Relocation provided for those who qualify.

Salary Range

$102,400 - $199,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoE Q-level security clearance.

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D S&E Aerospace Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience in applied aerodynamics, flight mechanics, or trajectory simulation with application to the design, modeling, simulation, optimization, and analysis of aerospace flight systems.
• Experience with the capabilities, use, and application of MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C/C++, or other modern programming languages and repositories in technical analysis/computing and software development.
• Proven ability to work and communicate effectively in a collaborative and interdisciplinary team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced/schedule driven environment.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Experience in the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), aerothermal/ablation and material thermal response tools, or closely related tools for the analysis of hypersonics, reentry, or related flight systems.
• Experience in developing and deploying multi-fidelity aerodynamic and flight performance models in multi-disciplinary design, optimization, and 3DOF/6DOF trajectory simulation environments.

About Our Team

The Applied Aerodynamics Department provides applied aerodynamics and flight dynamics analysis, trajectory simulations, range safety analysis, range operations support, and mechanical design for a wide range of flight systems that fly in the subsonic through hypersonic regimes. The Department also explores advanced concepts for new military and non-military applications of flight systems. Our staff members are integral flight test project team members active in all aspects of vehicle design, mission planning, testing, and post-test analysis. Our primary mission supports U.S. Department of Energy defense programs, and aerospace flight systems projects funded through the U.S. Department of War, DARPA, NASA, and industry.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.