Lead Aerodynamics Engineer – Missiles & Flight Test

Heaviside Industries, Inc.; California; On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Heaviside Industries, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA, seeks a senior aerodynamics expert to own the airframe design for precision munitions. You will lead CFD analyses, wind tunnel tests, and propulsion integration, while mentoring engineers and ensuring high-quality analyses for DoD projects.

You will contribute to performance models, stability, and control databases, supporting flight tests from concept to flight test in a defense-focused role.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of aerodynamics or flight sciences experience on missiles or military aircraft.
• Ownership of an air vehicle's aerodynamic design from concept through flight test.
• Proficiency in CFD and low-order aero-prediction tools (STAR-CCM+, Fluent, OpenFOAM, Missile DATCOM, AVL).
• Strong foundation in flight mechanics, stability and control, and aero databases for 6-DOF weapon simulation.
• Experience with wind tunnel test planning, execution, and data reduction.
• U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.62).

Responsibilities

• Own the aerodynamic design of Heaviside's munition airframes from concept to flight test.
• Lead aerodynamic analysis using low-order methods and CFD with wind tunnel/flight data.
• Develop and maintain vehicle performance models for range, endurance, speed, and maneuver capability.
• Generate stability and control derivatives and aero databases for GNC design.
• Lead propulsion-airframe integration for electric and small air-breathing propulsion.
• Plan and execute aerodynamic test campaigns including wind tunnel entries and flight tests.
• Mentor engineers and set the technical standard for analysis quality.

Skills

Aerodynamics

Flight mechanics

Wind tunnel testing

Data analysis

Project ownership

Team mentorship

ITAR compliance

Defense program experience

Tools

STAR-CCM+

Fluent

OpenFOAM

Missile DATCOM

AVL

Job description

Heaviside Industries, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA, seeks a senior aerodynamics expert to own the airframe design for precision munitions. You will lead CFD analyses, wind tunnel tests, and propulsion integration, while mentoring engineers and ensuring high-quality analyses for DoD projects.

You will contribute to performance models, stability, and control databases, supporting flight tests from concept to flight test in a defense-focused role.