Lead CFD Engineer — Missile Aerodynamics & Performance

Zone 5 Technologies; United States; On-site; USD 149,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401k with company-match

Paid time off

Sick time and holidays

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking an experienced CFD Lead to head high‑fidelity aerodynamic analysis for air‑launched effects and next‑gen munitions. You will guide CFD strategy, validate against wind tunnel and flight data, and partner with Propulsion, GNC, and Design to ensure robust performance across launch, flight, and terminal conditions.

You will mentor engineers, develop automated CFD workflows, and present results at design reviews, driving mission success and program milestones in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Aerospace/Mechanical Eng required; Master's typical for senior level, strong experience can substitute.
• 8+ years leading CFD analysis in product-driven, program-focused environment.
• Experience validating CFD against wind tunnel and flight test data.
• Experience with high-speed, air‑vehicle aerodynamics and missile/munitions data.

Responsibilities

• Lead high‑fidelity CFD analyses across defense-relevant speed regimes.
• Develop automated workflows for batch HPC jobs and data reduction.
• Mentor aerodynamics and CFD engineers and document procedures.
• Collaborate with Design, Propulsion, GNC, and Systems Engineering to integrate data into models.
• Present findings at design reviews (PDR/CDR) and support proposal efforts.

Skills

CFD leadership

Python/MATLAB scripting

Linux, HPC

Git version control

6-DOF trajectory/cutplane analysis

Wind tunnel data interpretation

CFD solver proficiency

Education

Bachelor's in Aerospace/Mechanical Eng

Master's preferred or exceptional experience

Tools

CFD++

OVERFLOW

FUN3D

STAR-CCM+

ANSYS Fluent

Pointwise/ANSA/CGT

Chimera Grid Tools

Job description

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking an experienced CFD Lead to head high‑fidelity aerodynamic analysis for air‑launched effects and next‑gen munitions. You will guide CFD strategy, validate against wind tunnel and flight data, and partner with Propulsion, GNC, and Design to ensure robust performance across launch, flight, and terminal conditions.

You will mentor engineers, develop automated CFD workflows, and present results at design reviews, driving mission success and program milestones in a