Senior Engineer for Propulsion Airframe Integration

Beyond New Horizons; Manchester (TN); On-site; USD 135,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Continuing education assistance

Multiple healthcare benefits packages

401(k) with employer matching

Paid time off (PTO)

Job summary

Beyond New Horizons in Tennessee is seeking a Senior Engineer for Propulsion Airframe Integration to support the Test Operations contract at Arnold AFB. Responsibilities include developing methodologies for analyzing aerodynamic flows and leading test strategies.

Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering with significant experience in propulsion engineering or force measurement. The position offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10-14 years of relevant experience depending on grade level.
• U.S. citizenship required for employment.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Architect a methodology for reconciling force and energy measurements.
• Lead the technical approach for testing and developing bookkeeping strategies.
• Develop the data-fusion methodology for integrating multi-facility datasets.

Skills

Propulsion/aerothermodynamic test engineering

Force measurement/metrology

Measurement uncertainty quantification

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Master’s or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Overview

Beyond New Horizons LLC (BNH) has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Engineer for Propulsion Airframe Integration to support the Test Operations and Sustainment contract at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) at Arnold AFB, TN. Open to internal and external candidates.

Location

Arnold AFB, TN

Job Duties

• Architect a comprehensive methodology for reconciling force and energy measurements by defining consistent control volumes, reference frames, and sign conventions that span propulsion test cells, altitude facilities, and wind tunnels.
• Adapt and extend classical thrust‑drag bookkeeping methods for highly integrated and coupled aircraft configurations.
• Incorporate modern power balance and exergy‑based frameworks to analyze tightly coupled aerodynamic flows.
• Specify, oversee, and interpret complex force and flow measurements, including multi‑component strain‑gauge balances, thrust stands, and advanced gas‑path instrumentation.
• Lead the technical approach for testing and developing bookkeeping strategies that separate thrust from model drag in the presence of strong external‑flow coupling.
• Own the end‑to‑end measurement uncertainty budget, propagating uncertainties through the cross‑facility rollup to ensure the credibility of results where thrust‑minus‑drag is a small difference of large numbers.
• Develop and build the data‑fusion methodology and supporting software/models required to integrate multi‑facility datasets into a global accounting framework.
• Serve as a senior technical authority and mentor, interfacing with Air Force customers, engine OEMs, airframers, and other contractor teams to drive technical consensus and collaboration.
• Wear company‑issued PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in accordance with supervisory direction and company policy.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering (or a closely related field).
• Grade 10: Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience.
• Grade 11: Minimum of 14 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in either:
  • (a) Propulsion/aerothermodynamic test engineering (engine performance, thrust‑drag bookkeeping, inlet/nozzle aerodynamics, gas‑path instrumentation, altitude/sea‑level engine testing) OR
  • (b) Force measurement/metrology (multi‑axis strain‑gauge balance design and calibration, load‑cell systems, calibration standards, measurement uncertainty).
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense Secret level security clearance and access to the AEDC local area network.
• U.S. citizenship is required for employment at AEDC.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated working fluency in the other domain listed above.
• Proven ability to architect a new test capability or methodology, not merely operate an existing one.
• Rigorous command of measurement uncertainty quantification (as applied to force and/or thrust measurement).
• Master’s or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Hands‑on experience with blended‑wing‑body (BWB), hybrid‑wing, embedded propulsion, S‑duct/serpentine inlets, or boundary‑layer‑ingesting (BLI) configurations.
• Experience with engine and/or wind‑tunnel model testing and the associated thrust/drag bookkeeping challenge.
• Experience with data fusion across facilities, control‑volume/CFD‑informed force decomposition, and test‑data systems/programming (Python, MATLAB).
• Education in fundamental engineering and science, and advanced knowledge of mathematics, algorithms and computer languages.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with demonstrated ability to convey highly technical information effectively to a wide audience with varying levels of technical understanding.

What We Offer

• Competitive salaries.
• Continuing education assistance.
• Multiple healthcare benefits packages.
• 401(k) with employer matching.
• Paid time off (PTO) along with a federally recognized holiday schedule.

Salary Range

L10: $135,000 – $181,000; L11: $155,000 – $190,000 per year.

U.S. Citizenship is required. BNH will not sponsor employment authorization or offer immigration related support for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BNH is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, veteran status, and any other grounds for discrimination prohibited by applicable law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.