Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace EngineerThe Opportunity:The team supports clients by tackling the challenges of lunar dust contamination of spacecraft and other assets by modeling the complex interactions between dust particles, the space environment, and spacecraft. Join the team as they develop a comprehensive modeling and analysis framework on lunar surface programs to characterize the risks lunar dust poses to the success of a permanent human presence on the Moon.As an Aerospace Engineer on the team, you will be responsible for development of advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based Plume-surface interaction (PSI) modeling capabilities, spanning continuum–rarefied plume flow fields, gas–granular coupling, erosion or cratering physics, and ejecta transport. As a senior engineer, you will architect and implement computational approaches, guide V & V strategy, integrate PSI predictions into customer lunar architecture decisions, and mentor junior staff.If you want to solve real-world challenges and lead mission-critical engineering related to humanity's return to the Moon, there's a place for you here. You Have:6+ years of experience with modeling and simulation involving rarefied gas dynamics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for compressible, high-speed, chemically reacting flows, and direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC)Experience developing granular flow simulation frameworks with preferred applications to plume-surface interactions (PSI)Experience developing and maintaining software to implement analytical and computational modelsExperience programming in Python or C++ and with CAD and 3D modeling software such as Solidworks or NXExperience with data processing and statistical techniquesExperience with FEA, CFD, or tools such as STAR-CCM+, Ansys Mechanical, Ansys Thermal Desktop, or Loci-ChemExperience writing technical documentation or scientific publicationsKnowledge of modeling chemically reacting flowsAbility to take ownership of assigned tasks, work in both a team and independent environment, and to communicate effectively with clients and stakeholdersMaster's degree in Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or Computational PhysicsNice If You Have:Experience implementing PSI capabilities or contributing to HLS or CLPS analysesExperience with NASA or MSFC validation datasets and toolchainExperience with PSI toolchain components, including Loci / CHEM, Loci / CHEM-Boltzmann, Loci / GGFS, DIGGEM, DTA, FUN3D, and OpenFOAM variants relevant to PSIExperience with modeling and simulation with discrete element method (DEM) and granular flow physics using DEM frameworks such as LAMMPS or CFDEMcouplingExperience with modeling plasma and dust-plasma couplingExperience applying machine learning (ML) to solve engineering problems with modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorflowExperience developing simulations using NVIDIA Warp and CUDA Python and working with Linux environmentsExperience producing original research and publications in CFD, PSI, or multiphase or rarefied gas dynamicsExperience working with U.S. government clients such as NASADoctorate degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering or a related field