Principal Aerodynamics Engineer

Heaviside Industries; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision & dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Heaviside Industries, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, seeks an accomplished aerodynamics leader to own airframe design for precision munitions. You will drive across launch, cruise, and terminal performance, integrating propulsion and airframe concepts with a focus on wind tunnel and flight-test data.

The role requires deep expertise in CFD and low-order aero-prediction tools, a track record from concept to flight test, and the ability to mentor a team of engineers while upholding high

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.
• Strong CFD skills with STAR-CCM+, Fluent, or OpenFOAM and knowledge of low-order aero-prediction tools.
• Solid foundation in flight mechanics, stability, and aero databases for 6-DOF weapon simulation.
• Experience planning and executing wind tunnel tests and data reduction.

Responsibilities

• Own aerodynamic design of airframes: configuration, airfoil choice, performance optimization across launch, cruise, and terminal flight.
• Lead aerodynamic analysis from sizing to design using CFD and low-order methods, backed by test data.
• Develop and maintain vehicle performance models: range, endurance, dash speed, terminal maneuver.
• Create stability and control derivatives and aero databases for GNC design.
• Oversee propulsion-airframe integration for electric and small propulsion options.
• Plan and execute wind tunnel entries and instrumented flight tests at DoD ranges.
• Mentor engineers and uphold high analysis quality standards.

Skills

Aerodynamics

Flight mechanics

GNC

Tools

STAR-CCM+

Fluent/OpenFOAM

Missile DATCOM

AVL

Job description

About Heaviside Industries

Heaviside Industries builds multi-domain autonomous precision munitions for U.S. and allied special operations and conventional forces. While modern warfare has rapidly evolved with the proliferation of unmanned systems, hyper-precise munitions in contested environments are the future of the battlefield. Economical precision strike capabilities are critical to U.S. and allied war efforts, enabling successful defeat of enemy military assets and infrastructure. Heaviside builds precision munitions designed to operate in GPS-denied and spectrum-jammed battlefields—where traditional systems degrade or fail—without inflated prices or sacrifice to performance.

About Heaviside Industries

Heaviside Industries builds multi-domain autonomous precision munitions for U.S. and allied special operations and conventional forces. While modern warfare has rapidly evolved with the proliferation of unmanned systems, hyper-precise munitions in contested environments are the future of the battlefield. Economical precision strike capabilities are critical to U.S. and allied war efforts, enabling successful defeat of enemy military assets and infrastructure. Heaviside builds precision munitions designed to operate in GPS-denied and spectrum-jammed battlefields—where traditional systems degrade or fail—without inflated prices or sacrifice to performance.

All engineering and manufacturing is conducted in-house in Heaviside's Los Angeles, CA headquarters and Oslo, Norway office.

Heaviside is backed by Felicis, Hedosophia, Interlagos, Friends & Family Capital, Menlo Ventures, Flume Ventures, Cantos, and others.

What You Will Do

• Own the aerodynamic design of Heaviside's munition airframes: configuration development, airfoil and planform selection, and performance optimization across launch, cruise, and terminal flight.
• Lead aerodynamic analysis from conceptual sizing through detailed design using low-order methods and CFD, anchored by wind tunnel and flight test data.
• Develop and maintain vehicle performance models — range, endurance, dash speed, and terminal maneuver capability — that drive design trades and customer commitments.
• Generate stability and control derivatives and aerodynamic databases for GNC design, including folding-surface deployment transients and tube-launch separation aerodynamics.
• Lead propulsion-airframe integration for electric and small air-breathing propulsion, including propeller/motor performance matching.
• Plan and execute aerodynamic test campaigns: wind tunnel entries, instrumented flight tests at DoD ranges, and parameter identification.
• Mentor engineers across the vehicle design team and set the technical standard for analysis quality.
  

What We Are Looking For

• 10+ years of aerodynamics or flight sciences experience on missiles, munitions, military UAS, or tactical aircraft — with hardware that flew.
• Demonstrated ownership of an air vehicle's aerodynamic design from concept through flight test.
• Expert proficiency in CFD (e.g., STAR-CCM+, Fluent, OpenFOAM) and low-order aero-prediction tools (e.g., Missile DATCOM, AVL), with sound judgment on when each is appropriate.
• Strong foundation in flight mechanics, stability and control, and the generation of aero databases for 6-DOF weapon simulation.
• Experience with wind tunnel test planning, execution, and data reduction.
• Working fluency in performance analysis for small, fast, or long-endurance tactical air vehicles under real employment constraints.
• [BONUS] Experience with high-subsonic/transonic munition aerodynamics or folding/tube-launched configurations.
• [BONUS] Experience correlating CFD and flight test data through parameter identification on defense programs.
• U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR
• 120.62)

Additional Information

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Heaviside will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, including arrest or conviction records, consistent with the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act. Heaviside intends to review criminal history after a conditional offer. Heaviside reasonably believes criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with the following duties, potentially resulting in withdrawal of the offer: (1) accessing export-controlled technical data and defense articles; (2) handling and maintaining inventory of controlled components, tools, and equipment; and (3) accessing secure facilities, laboratories, and field test sites.

Heaviside is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Heaviside is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical disability or any other legally protected status.