Lead Thermal Hydraulics Engineer

Airswift; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift is seeking a Lead / Principal Thermal-Hydraulics Engineer to lead complex reactor and power conversion analyses in a highly regulated energy environment. The role combines hands-on technical work with leadership across multiple projects and teams.

You will develop CFD and multiphysics models, mentor engineers, and contribute to engineering standards and regulatory documentation in a cutting-edge nuclear energy organization in Houston.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical / Nuclear / Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of relevant engineering experience in thermal-hydraulics or related disciplines.
• Strong hands-on experience with thermal-hydraulics, thermal-fluids, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering projects, workstreams, or teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead thermal-hydraulic analyses involving fluid flow, heat transfer, pressure drop, coolant behavior, and system performance.
• Perform and review steady-state and transient analyses for reactor, power conversion, and plant support systems.
• Develop and maintain analytical, computational, CFD, and multiphysics models to support design and decision-making.
• Evaluate thermodynamic performance of advanced energy systems, including helium and supercritical CO2 applications.
• Support verification, validation, benchmarking, uncertainty analysis, and correlation with testing or data.
• Provide technical leadership through design reviews, problem solving, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to development of technical capabilities and standards.
• Support regulatory, licensing, and safety-related documentation in a regulated environment.

Skills

Thermal-Hydraulics

Thermal-Fluids Engineering

Heat Transfer

Thermodynamics

CFD & Computational Modeling

Systems Performance Analysis

Verification & Validation

Regulatory & Licensing Support

Technical Leadership

Nuclear Safety Culture

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

Advanced degree in a relevant engineering discipline

Tools

STAR-CCM+

ANSYS Fluent

OpenFOAM

COMSOL

Job description

Lead / Principal Thermal-Hydraulics Engineer

Airswift is hiring! We are seeking an experienced Lead / Principal Thermal-Hydraulics Engineer to join an innovative organization operating within the advanced nuclear energy sector. This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly skilled engineering professional to play a key role in developing thermal-hydraulics capabilities while contributing to cutting-edge reactor and power conversion technologies.

About the Role

As a senior technical leader, you will be responsible for leading and executing complex thermal-hydraulic and thermal-fluids engineering activities across multiple projects. This position combines hands-on technical work with technical leadership, helping establish engineering standards, methodologies, and best practices while supporting the growth of the engineering team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead thermal-hydraulic analyses involving fluid flow, heat transfer, pressure drop, coolant behavior, and system performance.
• Perform and review steady-state and transient analyses for reactor, power conversion, and plant support systems.
• Develop and maintain analytical, computational, CFD, and multiphysics models to support engineering design and decision-making.
• Evaluate thermodynamic performance of advanced energy systems, including helium and supercritical CO2 applications.
• Support verification, validation, benchmarking, uncertainty analysis, and correlation with testing or operational data.
• Provide technical leadership through design reviews, problem-solving, technical assessments, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the development of technical capabilities, standards, and processes.
• Support regulatory, licensing, and safety-related engineering documentation within a highly regulated environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Strong hands-on experience in thermal-hydraulics, thermal-fluids engineering, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering projects, workstreams, or teams.
• Experience working in nuclear energy or another highly regulated, safety-critical industry.
• Strong technical problem-solving abilities and engineering judgment.
• Experience supporting regulatory, safety analysis, or technical documentation activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Direct nuclear industry experience.
• Experience with CFD and multiphysics tools such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, COMSOL, or similar platforms.
• Experience with helium-cooled systems, supercritical CO2 cycles, Brayton-cycle systems, or advanced reactor technologies.
• Professional Engineer (PE), Chartered Engineer, or equivalent certification.
• Experience mentoring engineers and supporting organizational growth.

Key Skills

• Thermal-Hydraulics
• Thermal-Fluids Engineering
• Heat Transfer
• Thermodynamics
• CFD & Computational Modeling
• Systems Performance Analysis
• Verification & Validation
• Regulatory & Licensing Support
• Technical Leadership
• Nuclear Safety Culture

Why Apply?

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of advanced energy technology while working in a highly collaborative, technically challenging environment. You will have the chance to influence engineering strategy, mentor talent, and contribute directly to innovative projects with significant industry impact.