Hypersonics Facility & Instrumentation Engineer

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Savings Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Paid Time-Off (PTO)

Holidays

Education Reimbursement

Job summary

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions in Birmingham, AL, seeks an engineer for a two‑part role in the Hypersonics department. About 20 hours weekly will help design and commission a new arc jet test facility (Project Helios) with the Project Manager and Engineering Lead.

The remaining ~20 hours focus on the flow diagnostics team, contributing to technical proposals and applied research in laser diagnostics for high-enthalpy flows and multispectral imaging for test facilities or ranges.

Qualifications

• US Citizenship and ability to obtain/maintain DoD SECRET clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering or related field with 2+ years experience; OR a Master's with demonstrated research in experimental aerothermodynamics, high-enthalpy facilities, or optical/laser diagnostics
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Python and LabVIEW
• Laboratory or equivalent experimental experience with instrumentation, data acquisition, or facility hardware
• Coursework or experience in gas dynamics, compressible flow, or aerothermodynamics

Responsibilities

• Support design, development, and commissioning of a new arc jet facility, including arc heater integration and test section layout
• Develop instrumentation and control strategies for high-enthalpy facilities and data acquisition architecture
• Contribute to facility planning, documentation, scheduling, and risk identification
• Assist in characterization and qualification of facility performance using laser diagnostics and related techniques
• Plan and coordinate material testing for high-enthalpy convective facilities
• Lead or contribute to technical proposals for DoD, NASA, and commercial opportunities in flow diagnostics

Skills

Attention to detail

Planning and Organization

Technical Expertise

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering or related

Master's degree with research in aerothermodynamics/optical diagnostics

Tools

MATLAB

Python

LabVIEW

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Creo

Job description

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions in Birmingham, AL, seeks an engineer for a two‑part role in the Hypersonics department. About 20 hours weekly will help design and commission a new arc jet test facility (Project Helios) with the Project Manager and Engineering Lead.

The remaining ~20 hours focus on the flow diagnostics team, contributing to technical proposals and applied research in laser diagnostics for high-enthalpy flows and multispectral imaging for test facilities or ranges.