Hypersonic CFD Aerodynamicist

Aurex; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 118,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurex in Huntsville, AL is seeking a CFD Aerodynamicist with extensive experience performing advanced CFD analyses for hypersonic vehicles. You will determine lift, drag, center of pressure, and stability characteristics, and perform aero-thermal coupling to generate aeroheating environments.

Working with multidisciplinary teams, you will develop high-fidelity CFD models, validate results, and deliver actionable aerodynamic data to support vehicle design and control systems.

Qualifications

• Work in person at our corporate headquarters in Huntsville, AL.
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with relevant industry experience
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a relevant field with experience applying knowledge to real‑world systems
• 5+ years of industry experience in CFD analysis for aerospace vehicles
• Hands‑on experience with CFD software such as ANSYS Fluent, CFX, STAR‑CCM+, OpenFOAM, FUN3D, OVERFLOW, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of hypersonic aerodynamics, compressible flow, shock interactions, and aero‑thermal coupling.
• Experience determining lift, drag, center of pressure, and stability characteristics from CFD results.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, NX, or similar) for geometry preparation and meshing.
• Ability to analyze and communicate complex simulation results to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills to collaborate with multidisciplinary aerospace teams.

Responsibilities

• Perform high-fidelity CFD analyses to determine lift, drag, center of pressure, stability derivatives, and overall aerodynamic performance of hypersonic vehicles.
• Generate and deliver aerodynamic databases, force/moment coefficients, center-of- pressure data, and stability derivatives to support GNC algorithm development, 6-DOF simulation, and flight control design.
• Conduct coupled aero-thermal simulations to generate aeroheating environments and support thermal protection system design.
• Develop and execute CFD models including geometry preparation, mesh generation, boundary condition definition, turbulence modeling, and solver setup for hypersonic flow regimes.
• Collaborate closely with the Thermal Analyst Engineer to integrate aeroheating results into thermal and material response models.
• Validate CFD results against experimental, wind tunnel, or flight test data.
• Support design trades and optimization studies for aerodynamic performance, stability, and thermal loads.
• Document simulation methodologies, results, and engineering recommendations in clear technical reports.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams (aerodynamics, thermal, structures, and GNC) to ensure accurate aerodynamic and aero-thermal data supports vehicle development.

Skills

CFD analysis

Hypersonic aerodynamics

Communication skills

Teamwork

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ANSYS Fluent

CFX

STAR-CCM+

OpenFOAM

FUN3D

OVERFLOW

Job description

Aurex in Huntsville, AL is seeking a CFD Aerodynamicist with extensive experience performing advanced CFD analyses for hypersonic vehicles. You will determine lift, drag, center of pressure, and stability characteristics, and perform aero-thermal coupling to generate aeroheating environments.

Working with multidisciplinary teams, you will develop high-fidelity CFD models, validate results, and deliver actionable aerodynamic data to support vehicle design and control systems.