Onsite High-Enthalpy Diagnostics Engineer – Plasma & TPS

Analytical Mechanics Associates Inc.; California, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. is seeking a High-Enthalpy Diagnostics Engineer to support the Thermal Protection Materials branch at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, CA.

This full-time, onsite role focuses on developing and applying advanced diagnostics for TPS material studies and validating models with experimental data. The candidate will plan experimental campaigns, calibrate optical and plasma diagnostics, and contribute to uncertainty quantification, data processing, and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Aerospace, Aeronautical or Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field.
• Background in experimental aerothermodynamics, plasma physics, high-enthalpy testing, combustion, spectroscopy, optical diagnostics, or a related experimental research field.
• Experience planning, conducting, analyzing, and documenting experimental test campaigns.
• Experience with quantitative data analysis, scientific programming, or scripting for engineering analysis and data processing, such as Python, MATLAB, or comparable tools.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute experimental campaigns in ARCTRON and other high-enthalpy, plasma, arc-jet, or related test environments.
• Develop, integrate, calibrate, and operate optical and in-situ plasma diagnostics, including optical emission spectroscopy, absorption spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence, imaging, and related techniques.
• Characterize ARCTRON operating conditions and diagnostic performance across priority test regimes.
• Develop measurement models and uncertainty-quantification methods for experimental diagnostics, including uncertainty propagation, thermal modeling, state estimation, and data-assimilation approaches.
• Conduct quantitative analysis of facility, diagnostic, and material-response measurements; compare experimental results with thermal, fluid, plasma, and other numerical models.

Skills

experimental aerothermodynamics

plasma physics

high-enthalpy testing

spectroscopy

optical diagnostics

data analysis

scientific programming

Education

Master’s degree or higher in Aerospace, Aeronautical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. is seeking a High-Enthalpy Diagnostics Engineer to support the Thermal Protection Materials branch at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, CA.

This full-time, onsite role focuses on developing and applying advanced diagnostics for TPS material studies and validating models with experimental data. The candidate will plan experimental campaigns, calibrate optical and plasma diagnostics, and contribute to uncertainty quantification, data processing, and