Aerodynamics Engineer (Starship)

About the role

The Starship Aerodynamics team is responsible for predicting the aerodynamics and aerothermal environments booster and ship experience during all phases of their missions. Aerodynamics engineers use engineering models, simulations and wind-tunnel testing in order to provide the most accurate predictions ahead of flight validation.

The team works closely with the GNC (guidance, navigation, and control) team to enable them to safely land and recover both Starship stages once their mission is accomplished. Moreover the team supports engineers responsible for vehicle structures during their design efforts.

Aerodynamics engineers are expected to have a clear understanding of the flow fields experienced by our vehicles through the various flight regimes, from subsonic through hypersonic, and apply this understanding while they operate our prediction tools.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, mesh, run, and post process CFD models
• Review post-flight data and compare to pre-flight estimates
• Interface with responsible engineers, providing them inputs to their designs and ensuring they have a clear understanding of the physical phenomena they are dealing with
• Write code and scripts in a variety of languages, making sure they share common interfaces and can be part of a mostly automated workflow

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Master's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering
• Experience with lower-order, engineering-level analysis tools
• Proficiency creating watertight 3D models and CFD grids, running CFD on Linux/Unix systems, and post-processing data with Tecplot or ParaView
• Experience with solvers used by NASA for entry vehicles, e.g. FUN3D, Loci/CHEM, DPLR
• Experimental testing experience
• Data processing and analysis in MATLAB or Python
• Strong background in external, compressible fluid dynamics
• Self-motivated, with strong organizational, communication and documentation skills

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed

Itar Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.