Lead MDAO Engineer: Autonomous Weapons Performance

Zone 5 Technologies; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 161,000 - 238,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401k with match

Paid time off

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies seeks an experienced MDAO Lead to guide multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization for air-launched effects, interceptors, and next-gen munitions. You will align aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and GNC into unified trade studies, drive tool development, and mentor engineers across disciplines.

The role requires leadership in MDAO methods, collaboration with multiple engineering teams, and hands-on work with production-grade analysis.

Qualifications

• 10+ years leading multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization in program-driven environments.
• Experience carrying an MDAO effort through to real hardware on at least one program of record.
• Proven ability to drive system-level trade studies and tooling ownership across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary MDAO efforts connecting aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and GNC into vehicle-level trades.
• Establish shared MDAO methods, document processes, and ensure data consistency across programs.
• Develop automated workflows integrating CAD/CFD/FEA into optimization loops.

Skills

MDAO leadership

Python

MATLAB

C++

Git/SVN

6-DOF modeling

flight hardware experience

OpenMDAO

ModelCenter/Phoenix

Cameo

Education

Bachelor's in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

OpenMDAO

ModelCenter/Phoenix Integration

Cameo

SolidWorks/CAD tools

CFD/FEA toolchains

GNCT/Systems Eng toolchains

Job description

Zone 5 Technologies seeks an experienced MDAO Lead to guide multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization for air-launched effects, interceptors, and next-gen munitions. You will align aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and GNC into unified trade studies, drive tool development, and mentor engineers across disciplines.

The role requires leadership in MDAO methods, collaboration with multiple engineering teams, and hands-on work with production-grade analysis.