Lead MDAO Engineer - Weapons Performance

Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.

We're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.

We are seeking an experienced MDAO Lead to join our Weapons Performance team. In this role, you will lead multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) efforts that bring aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and GNC together into unified vehicle-level trade studies and optimization frameworks for Zone 5's air-launched effects, tactical interceptors, and next-generation munitions — from early concept and sizing through preliminary design, test correlation, and fielded performance.

We're looking for a technical leader with an entrepreneurial mindset: someone who takes personal responsibility for the success of the systems they help build and has a bias toward action. You will work with the Weapons Performance team's manager to help set technical direction for MDAO, mentor engineers across disciplines, and partner closely with Aerodynamics, Structures, Propulsion, GNC, and Systems Engineering to ensure our systems perform reliably under demanding launch, flight, and terminal conditions.

Responsibilities:

• Lead multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) efforts that couple aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and trajectory models into unified vehicle-level trade studies and sizing analysis for missiles, interceptors, and other types of hardware.
• Work with the Weapons Performance team to establish shared MDAO methods and tools, and document the procedures and processes used for vehicle-level sizing, trade studies, and design optimization, improving turnaround time and ensuring data consistency across programs.
• Develop and lead automated workflows and scripts that integrate CAD, CFD, FEA, and simulation outputs into optimization loops, streamlining multidisciplinary design data for Aerodynamics, Structures, Propulsion, and GNC teams, while aligning stakeholders across disciplines, getting the right analytical models integrated into the toolset, and applying the appropriate level of fidelity at each stage of study.
• Author and maintain architecture documentation for the MDAO toolset, capturing design decisions, data flows, and integration points across disciplines.
• Establish tasking workflows and development pipelines in standard developer tools (e.g., Git, CI/CD, issue tracking) to manage ongoing development of the MDAO toolset.
• Incorporate feature requests and feedback from Aerodynamics, Structures, Propulsion, and GNC engineers into the ongoing development and prioritization of the MDAO toolset.
• Conduct trade studies and sensitivity analyses to inform conceptual and preliminary design decisions, balancing performance, cost, schedule, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with Aerodynamics, Structures, Propulsion, GNC, and Systems Engineering to translate single-discipline analysis into system-level design and sizing decisions.
• Validate MDAO-driven designs against wind tunnel, ground test, and flight test data, and lead root-cause investigation of discrepancies between model predictions and test results.
• Support RFI/RFP proposal responses and new program capture by providing early-stage vehicle sizing, performance trades, and feasibility assessments.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to engineers across disciplines on MDAO methods and tools, and review their analysis approaches and results.
• Present technical findings, trade study results, and MDAO methodology at design reviews (PDR, CDR) and internal engineering discussions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field required; Master's degree typical for candidates at this level, though exceptional applied experience can substitute.
• 10+ years of experience performing and leading multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization in an applied, program-driven environment , leading the technical approach across multiple full vehicle programs — from conceptual design through flight test.
• Demonstrable experience carrying an MDAO effort through to real hardware on at least one program of record , with familiarity across the entire design loop — from conceptual sizing and trade studies through detailed design, test, and fielded hardware — and a demonstrated track record of success doing so.
• Demonstrated ability to execute the full scope of the responsibilities above — from vehicle-level trade studies and multidisciplinary integration to toolset ownership, documentation, and cross-discipline collaboration — in a production, program-driven environment.
• Experience with multidisciplinary design optimization frameworks and methods (e.g., OpenMDAO, ModelCenter/Phoenix Integration, or custom optimization pipelines) for coupling discipline-level models into system-level trade studies.
• Experience building and maintaining validation libraries — reference cases and benchmark comparisons used to check new analysis against established, trusted results — including the ability to write unit tests for MDAO code and workflows.
• Familiarity implementing MDAO frameworks into the digital thread, including tools such as Cameo, and incorporating systems engineering requirements into the design and optimization loop.
• Programming or scripting proficiency (Python, MATLAB, or similar; C++ a plus) for MDAO automation, post-processing, and data reduction.
• Understanding of how to run and troubleshoot MDAO workloads on distributed computing systems (e.g., HPC clusters, job scheduling, resource allocation) — formal Linux system administration experience is not required.
• Experience with version control (e.g., Git, SVN) for MDAO codebases and the automation scripts that run them.
• Hands-on experience working alongside real flight hardware.
• Familiarity integrating analysis across CAD (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA, Siemens NX), CFD (e.g., FUN3D, OVERFLOW, STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent), and FEA (e.g., NASTRAN/PATRAN, ANSYS) toolchains into a common vehicle-level design and optimization workflow.
• Experience generating 6-DOF trajectory or flight simulation models to assess vehicle-level performance envelopes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting technical results at design reviews and supporting proposal/capture efforts.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret security clearance; must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR regulations.

Level IV: $149K - $182K

Level V: $182k - $220k

Pay range for this role

$149,000 - $220,000 USD

What's in it for you:

• Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
• 401k with company-match
• 3 weeks of paid time off each year
• 40 hours of sick time
• 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

• Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
• Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

If you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: .

As set forth in Zone 5 Technologies's Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.