CFD Engineer

About the role

Stratolaunch is at the forefront of hypersonic vehicle development, focusing on innovative aerospace solutions. We are seeking a highly skilled CFD Engineer at Level II or Senior level to join our dedicated hypersonic design team. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work on the design, analysis, and validation of hypersonic vehicles, utilizing advanced computational fluid dynamics techniques and aerothermal modeling. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting our testing and development efforts, helping to push the boundaries of high-speed flight technology. The role involves performing complex CFD simulations, creating detailed databases, and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to ensure our vehicle designs meet rigorous performance and safety standards.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Conduct comprehensive CFD analyses for hypersonic and captive carry vehicles, focusing on high-speed flow regimes and interference effects between vehicle components.
• Develop, refine, and validate extensive CFD databases for different vehicle configurations, integrating data from wind tunnel tests, flight tests, and analytical models to ensure accuracy and reliability.
• Support the development of aerodynamic and aerothermal databases by synthesizing wind tunnel data, flight test results, and analytical predictions, enabling better understanding of vehicle performance under various conditions.
• Assist in trajectory analysis and optimization efforts for current vehicle designs and future concepts, providing insights from CFD simulations to improve flight profiles and mission success.
• Analyze wind tunnel and flight test data to verify CFD model predictions, identify discrepancies, and refine simulation parameters for improved fidelity.
• Develop and maintain automation tools and scripts to streamline CFD workflows, data processing, and database management, increasing efficiency and reducing manual effort.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and systems engineers, to incorporate CFD findings into overall vehicle design and performance assessments.
• Contribute to technical documentation, proposals, and presentations for government agencies and industry partners, clearly communicating CFD results and their implications for vehicle development.
• Stay current with the latest CFD methodologies, tools, and best practices, applying innovative techniques to enhance simulation accuracy and efficiency.
• Support troubleshooting and problem-solving during CFD simulations, addressing mesh quality issues, convergence challenges, and computational resource management.
• Participate in design reviews and technical meetings, providing expert insights on high-speed aerodynamic phenomena and flow physics relevant to hypersonic vehicles.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant industry experience for Level II or 5 years for Senior level, or a combination of industry experience and advanced academic studies.
• Proficiency in creating high-quality CFD meshes using tools such as Pointwise, ANSA, or Link3D for complex geometries typical of hypersonic vehicles.
• Strong understanding of aerodynamics, aerothermal effects, and flight mechanics, especially in high-speed regimes.
• Hands-on experience with at least one major CFD solver, such as US3D, Fun3D, StarCCM+, or Kestrel, including setup, execution, and post-processing of simulations.
• Programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar languages to automate CFD workflows, data analysis, and database management.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and adapt to evolving project priorities and technical challenges.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively document findings and collaborate with team members.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a security clearance, with the ability to handle sensitive information responsibly.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, ensuring high-quality results in complex simulations.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with hypersonic aerodynamic theory, including shock wave interactions, boundary layer effects, and aero heating phenomena.
• Experience performing CFD analyses for subsonic, transonic, or hypersonic flows, with an understanding of flow physics across regimes.
• Background in complex CFD simulations involving multibody interactions, plume effects, or aero heating predictions relevant to hypersonic vehicles.
• Knowledge of advanced meshing techniques, including overset and hybrid meshing, to accurately capture flow physics around intricate geometries.
• Experience managing large CFD databases, ensuring data integrity, version control, and efficient retrieval for analysis.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing (HPC) environments, optimizing CFD code for parallel processing and large-scale simulations.
• Skills in lofting complex surfaces and working with CAD models, preferably Siemens NX, for preparing geometries for CFD analysis.
• Active security clearance is a plus, demonstrating trustworthiness and eligibility for handling classified information.

Skills & tools

• CFD solvers: US3D, Fun3D, StarCCM+, Kestrel
• Meshing tools: Pointwise, ANSA, Link3D
• Programming languages: Python, MATLAB
• Data analysis and visualization tools: Tecplot, Paraview

Practical notes

This position is based in Mojave, CA, and offers flexible work arrangements, including options for on-site, remote, or hybrid work, depending on the candidate's preferences and the company's operational needs. Minimal travel is expected, with less than 5% of time spent traveling for meetings, testing, or collaboration. Compensation and leveling are determined on an individual basis, considering factors such as educational background, experience, and demonstrated skills during the interview process. Benefits include a 9/80 work schedule, comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs), and other perks designed to support work-life balance and professional growth. The role provides an excellent environment for engineers passionate about high-speed aerodynamics and CFD simulation, offering opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge hypersonic vehicle projects.

About the company

High-speed flight test services form the core work of this American aerospace team. Company roots trace to 2011, created by Paul Allen and Burt Rutan to explore air-launched space transport. Home base is Seattle. Earlier collaboration on SpaceShipOne informed the project. New ownership arrived in 2019 through Cerberus Capital Management. Funding remains private. Operations follow a non-traditional defense contractor model, focusing on test missions and system development under continued private investment.