Senior Performance Engineer

Leonardo DRS; Fitchburg (MA); On-site; USD 102,433 - 159,027; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) savings plan

Flexible work schedules

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Leonardo DRS in Fitchburg, MA, is seeking a Senior Performance Engineer to support the performance of steam turbines and turbomachinery. In this role, you will analyze energy distribution, efficiency, and flow behavior, focusing on thermodynamic and aerodynamic engineering responsibilities.

The ideal candidate will perform detailed analyses, develop design evaluations, and mentor junior engineers. This position requires strong experience in turbomachinery and proficiency with commercial CFD tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or related technical field with relevant experience.
• Strong experience in turbomachinery, steam, and gas turbines.
• Proficiency in compressible fluid flow, thermodynamics, and heat transfer.

Responsibilities

• Perform thermodynamic and aerodynamic analyses for steam turbine design and optimization.
• Assess turbine performance using engineering analysis methods.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on thermo-aerodynamic designs.

Skills

Turbomachinery

Thermodynamic analysis

Aerodynamic analysis

Fluid mechanics

Heat transfer

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering

Tools

Ansys Fluent

CFD tools

Job description

Senior Performance Engineer

Location: Fitchburg, MA, US, 01420

Job ID: 114730

The Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems business is a trusted provider of innovative naval gas and hybrid power systems, control technology and support solutions for the U.S. Navy and navies around the world.

Job Summary

Join our Fitchburg, MA team as an experienced engineer supporting the performance, flow path, and thermal-fluid design considerations of steam turbines and related turbomachinery. This role blends thermodynamic and aerodynamic engineering responsibilities into a single performance-focused position responsible for evaluating energy distribution, flow behavior, efficiency, and overall turbine performance.

The engineer in this role will provide direct contributor work in analysis, design development, and problem resolution while partnering across mechanical, structural, acoustic, and systems disciplines. Depending on level, this position may also provide technical leadership, mentor junior engineers, and independently lead focused analysis efforts or trade studies.

What You Will Do

• Perform thermodynamic and aerodynamic analyses to support the design, evaluation, and optimization of steam turbine flow paths and associated components.
• Assess turbine performance through a combination of 0D, 1D, 2D, CFD, and related engineering analysis methods using commercial tools, internal methods, or equivalent developed approaches.
• Support or lead investigations into flow, pressure, temperature, loss, leakage, and energy distribution issues within turbine systems.
• Contribute to the design and evaluation of turbine flow path features including nozzles, buckets, valves, inlet flow passages, seals, packing, exhaust plenums, and related hardware as applicable.
• Develop and execute trade studies that balance performance goals with mechanical, structural, acoustic, manufacturability, and program requirements.
• Shape or evaluate overall steam path architecture to enable stable flow behavior and efficient energy conversion.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate thermo-aerodynamic design considerations into broader product development efforts.
• Prepare and present technical analyses, recommendations, and status updates to engineering leadership and program stakeholders.
• At higher levels, provide technical guidance, mentor earlier career engineers, and independently drive focused work scopes to closure.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or related technical field with progressively responsible relevant experience; typical target range is Senior through Senior Principal.
• Strong experience in turbomachinery, steam turbines, gas turbines, rotating machinery, or related thermal-fluid performance applications.
• Experience in thermodynamic analysis, aerodynamic analysis, or integrated performance analysis of turbine or turbo machinery systems.
• Proficiency in compressible fluid flow, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics as applied to rotating machinery.
• Experience with performance modeling methods such as bulk flow, lumped parameter, meanline, throughflow, or related engineering analyses.
• Working knowledge of loss mechanisms, flow path shaping, leakage effects, and performance tradeoffs in turbine systems.
• Experience using commercial CFD and engineering analysis tools such as Ansys Fluent, CFX, TurboGrid, BladeModeler, or equivalent software.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines and make sound engineering tradeoffs in a complex product environment.

Secondary Skills, Experience, and Aptitude to Grow

• Experience with steam as a working fluid and performance considerations specific to steam turbine systems.
• Experience evaluating seals, packing, exhaust hoods, valves, or auxiliary flow applications in rotating machinery.
• Experience with parameterized models, design studies, optimization methods, or thermal-fluid interaction analyses.
• Exposure to Navy Nuclear applications, defense industry product lines, or highly regulated engineering environments.
• Ability to independently lead technical tasks and contribute to planning, estimation, and execution of analysis work packages.

U.S. Citizenship required. This position may require an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment.

The salary range for this position is $102,433/year to $159,027/year. This range reflects the good faith estimate of pay the employer is willing to offer at the time of posting. Several factors can influence the pay scale, including but not limited to: Federal contract labor categories and contract wage rates, collective bargaining agreements, geographic location, business considerations, scope, and responsibilities of the position, local or other applicable market conditions, and internal equity. Other factors include the candidate’s qualifications such as prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education/training, and certifications.

Taking care of our people is a top priority at Leonardo DRS. We are proud to offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a company contribution to a health savings account, telemedicine, life and disability insurance, legal insurance, and a 401(k) savings plan. We champion wellness programs that focus on physical, emotional, and financial well‑being. We develop our talent by offering programs and activities to support career‑growth, professional development, and skill enhancement. And we understand there is more to life than work, and the importance of offering flexible work schedules with our 9/80 program, competitive vacation, health/emergency leave, paid parental leave, and community service hours.

Leonardo DRS, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide equal 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, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.