Principal Aerodynamicist

Principal Aerodynamicist

Arlington, VA, Mountain View, CA, San Diego, CA

We're a combat-tested group of engineers, operators, and entrepreneurs who believe America's edge depends on autonomous airpower that's trusted and deployable today not in 2040. Backed by tier-one investors, we've secured the runway - financial, regulatory, and literal - to move at startup speed while tackling a national-security mission that matters. We've structured the company for radical ownership: no silos, no "systems integrator" overhead, just tightly knit mission-focused IPTs that live and breathe the hardware and code they ship.

If you thrive where hard-tech ambition meets national-security urgency, you'll build faster here than anywhere else. Let's get after it.

Culture That Ships

• Strong Core Values, Startup Execution. Integrity, Service Before Self, Excellence, Honor, Courage, Commitment—powered by a bias for action and a "figure it out" mindset.
• Self-Starters Only. You'll have clear objectives, a blank sheet of paper, and the trust (plus capital) to move fast. Bureaucracy stays out of your way.
• One Team, No Tourists. Whether you're tuning a control law at 2 a.m. or heat-treating a Ti-6Al-4V spar, everyone sweats the details. We celebrate wins together and own failures together.

What's In It For You

• Mission With a Pulse. Every line of code, bracket, or test you deliver expands the toolbox of the warfighter on Day 1 of a conflict.
• Resources Without Red Tape. VC speed + DoD customer pull: access to test ranges, flight hours, and operator feedback while retaining startup agility.
• Career-Defining Upside. Significant equity, best-in-class benefits, and the chance to see your product deliver in months, not decades.

What You'll Do

• Lead aerodynamic design, analysis, and wind-tunnel/CFD correlation for a clean-sheet, long-range autonomous air vehicle.
• Optimize planform, airfoil, and high-lift devices to maximize range and payload while meeting survivability constraints.
• Create rapid-iteration tools and templates for sizing trades.
• Collaborate daily with GNC, Flight Controls, and Structures IPTs to mature configuration through CoDR/PDR/CDR.
• Support flight-test envelope expansion and post-flight data reduction.

What You Bring

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent) with ≥ 7 yrs relevant experience.
• Deep expertise in CFD (e.g., SU2, Fluent, OVERFLOW), panel methods, and wind-tunnel test design.
• Demonstrated history of hands-on, first-principles analysis in rapid-development programs.
• Ability to convey complex results to cross-functional audiences.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

Bonus Points

• Prior LO (low observables) signature shaping experience.
• Experience coupling aerodynamics with AI-enabled design-of-experiments workflows.

Why You'll Love Working Here (Compensation and Benefits)

Base Salary: $195,000 to 255,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Atropos's total compensation package. Additionally, Atropos offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Platinum Healthcare Benefits: Atropos offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with 100% employer-paid premiums and little to no cost to you
• Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Atropos, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents
• Unlimited PTO, with minimum of 15 days enforced
• 20 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting
• Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well
• Tuition and professional development reimbursement for STEM, MBA, and licenses
• Daily Lunch catered
• Company-funded child care stipend
• Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.
• Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). 6% employer matching contribution

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

Atropos is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Atropos team is made up of incredibly talented and unique individuals. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you are someone who is interested in disrupting the way the Department of Defense buys and operates unmanned weapon systems, please apply!