Aerodynamics Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Aerodynamics Engineer

Clearance Level: Must be able to obtain an active Secret Clearance due to the nature of the work - Must be a US Citizen

Location: Candidate should expect to be onsite 3 days onsite/wk at a minimum with flexibility to increase onsite presence as needed for program work. Must be within 100 miles from Lexington MA. 

At Aquila Technology, you will see our team's passion every day, whether we are building a robust, policy-compliant IT system or stress-testing a system to identify gaps and security vulnerabilities. To own the advantage, we ensure our team owns results and gets the work done right the first time by deploying smart, purposeful solutions that work. Aquila is the right people with the right skills driving the right outcomes. We call this the Aquila Advantage.

About the Role:

Aquila Technology is seeking Aerodynamics Engineer  to support one of the nation's premier defense research organizations. The team needs a Aerodynamic Engineer  with expertise in aerodynamic design and computational fluid dynamics simulation of aircraft ranging from low-speed to high-speed flow regimes with a focus on hypersonics. Job responsibilities include design analysis of hypersonic aircraft, presenting technical results to both internal and external audiences, and supporting multiple programs related to hypersonic aircraft technology development. We seek engineers who are excited to continuously learn about new tools, technologies and mission areas, and are able to apply their expertise to a wide variety of problems.

The team develops first-of-a-kind prototype systems across underwater, ground, air, and space domains for high-impact national security missions. Engineers work on advanced structural and material systems for space-based imaging and laser communications, thermal management solutions from cryogenic to hypersonic regimes, and aerodynamic design and assessment for unmanned aerial vehicles, airborne pods, and hypersonic platforms. Solutions are realized through the integration of high-fidelity analytical and computational modeling, multidisciplinary simulation, environmental testing, and advanced materials, addressing demanding performance, size, weight, power, and environmental constraints that are at the forefront of current engineering capabilities. Experience using High Performance Computing clusters is required. Experience with one or more of the following CFD solvers and meshing tools is also required: US3D, SPARC, FUN3D, Kestrel, Cart3D, Pointwise, and/or Link3D. Experience in surrogate modeling and machine learning is desired.

The successful candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary engineering team contributing to the development of operational prototype hardware, spanning the full program life cycle from concept development to fielding and test. The position may require special security clearances and travel to meetings and field sites.

Requirements:

• M.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering or related field. Candidates with a B.S. degree and 3 years of direct relevant experience will also be considered.
• Experience in aircraft design.
• Coursework in computational fluid dynamics and high-speed flows.
• Experience with modern numerical simulation tools for fluid dynamic simulation.
• Experience in programming to develop engineering algorithms.
• The ability to work in interdisciplinary teams.
• The ability to clearly communicate results in oral presentations and written reports.
• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) environments for large-scale simulations.
• Experience with one or more of the following CFD solvers and meshing tools is also desirable: US3D, SPARC, FUN3D, Kestrel, Cart3D, Pointwise, and/or Link3D.

Must Have

• Degree Level:Bachelor's Degree
• 3 years - Aircraft Dynamics
• 3 years - Major in Aerospace
• 3 years - Aircraft design experience
• 3 years - Algorithm Development
• 3 years - Computational Fluid Dynamics
• 3 years - Hypersonic modeling and simulation
• 3 years - High Performance Computing Software
• 3 years - Computational Methods and Techniques, Computational Techniques
• 3 years - Aerospace Applications
• 3 years - Engineering Simulation (Ansys, Simcenter, SolidWorks Sim, etc.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience implementing multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) frameworks.
• Experience in machine learning and surrogate modeling approaches for simulation.
• Relevant graduate level research.
• Familiarity with software development best practices, including version control (e.g., Git).
  

Nice to Have

• Degree Level: Masters Degree
• Discipline/Major
• Major in Mechanical Engineering
• Rapid-prototyping environment with fast design-debug cycles
• Prototyping and evaluation of hardware components
• Machine Learning/AI
• AI / Machine Learning Algorithm Development

Benefits and Perks:
Aquila team members experience the opportunity to be part of a fast-paced, customer-focused, and technically innovative work environment. Aquila strives to deliver the best of the best in technical services to our customers. Candidates that possess a love for technical challenges, a desire to constantly learn, and the desire to establish themselves as critical players within a team will enjoy calling Aquila Technology home.

• 1.5 paid days, or 12 hours, for approved volunteer work
• 1 week of paid maternity/paternity LOA after 1 year of Full-time employment

Tuition & Training Reimbursement- 5K annually for pre-approved, Eligible full-time team members who have completed a minimum ofsix (6) months of employment may apply for tuition reimbursement for approved, job-related courses taken through an accredited college or university. Team members must achieve a grade of “B” or better to qualify for reimbursement.Aquila will reimburse up to $5,000 per fiscal year for tuition expenses only. Expenses related to training programs, certifications, books, materials, meals, transportation, or other non-tuition costs are not eligible under the Tuition Reimbursement Program. All tuition reimbursement requests must be submitted to and approved by the team member's Manager prior to course registration. Reimbursement will be issued upon successful course completion and submission of final grades and proof of payment.

401K with Principal - Eligible to participate day 1 of employment. Company match on employee contributions:

• Eligibility on date of hire
• Employer Match- 100% of first 3% and 50% of next 2%
• Vesting- 100%
• Contribution limit- $24,500
• Catch-up contribution limit- $8,000
• Catch-up contribution limit for ages 60-63 in calendar year- $11,250
• Catchup contributions must be directed to Roth bucket if earned over
$150k in 2025

Cell Phone & Internet Reimbursed up to $150 monthly to cover cell phone, data, and home internet expenses. Aquila Technology will reimburse team members who work from home ONLY for cell phone/mobile device fees for work-related communications and/or operations each month. Employees eligible for this benefit must work remote 2 days a week or more to qualify.

Buy Your Own Device (BYOD) - Team members are eligible for reimbursement of up to $1,500 every three (3) years for the purchase of electronic equipment used to access corporate services. To qualify for this benefit, employees must have completed a minimum of six (6) months of employment and must agree to and sign the Device Minimum Configuration Form prior to reimbursement. Electronic devices eligible under the Buy Your Own Device (BYOD) program are limited to cell phones, laptops, and tablets.

Location:  Candidate should expect to be onsite 3 days onsite/wk at a minimum with flexibility to increase onsite presence as needed for program work.

Clearance Level: Interim clearance sufficient for start

Interview process: initial zoom screening, second round screening with AGL, final round interview in person with the team. The team is open to a final interview on Zoom for relocation candidates, but local candidates should be prepared to interview in person.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer