2026 PhD Graduate - Vehicle Design and Technologies Group - we design the future!

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

37d

About The Position

Do you want to research advanced vehicle technologies and then transition that research into real programs supporting national needs? If you are graduating with a PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering, you want to be part of the Vehicle Design and Technologies Group - we design the future! Join our multidisciplinary team of experts across vehicle design disciplines including propulsion, aerodynamics, thermal, advanced materials, mechanical and structural engineering. We investigate basic science and transition it into state of the art vehicle technology enabling innovation and revolutionary new designs. Your research will be applied to conceptualize, design, and prototype advanced vehicles and weapons to meet critical national and warfighter needs. Depending on your areas of expertise, some of the ways you can contribute are: Predict and model the aerodynamic characteristics of various air-vehicle configurations including hypersonic re-entry vehicles, supersonic and hypersonic air-breathing concepts, and subsonic fixed-wing or rotorcraft unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). Perform multi-fidelity analysis using commercial and in-house CFD and thermal software in support of vehicle aerothermal design and analysis across various flow regimes from subsonic to hypersonic. Plan and execute ground tests and design models for various wind tunnel and arcjet facilities. Conduct post-test analysis to validate numerical predictions then create and improve high fidelity models. Design future conceptual vehicles, performing detailed multidisciplinary system analysis including integration with launch platforms. Optimize hypersonic propulsion designs including inlet design, flowpath analysis, system integration, test, and evaluation.

Requirements

Have a PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering.
Are experienced in aerodynamics, aerothermal, propulsion, thermal, or structural technologies.
Have outstanding communications and collaboration skills.
Are able to obtain Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain Secret level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Experience applying your research to actual prototypes or systems
Demonstrated leadership skills

Responsibilities

Predict and model the aerodynamic characteristics of various air-vehicle configurations including hypersonic re-entry vehicles, supersonic and hypersonic air-breathing concepts, and subsonic fixed-wing or rotorcraft unmanned air vehicles (UAVs)
Perform multi-fidelity analysis using commercial and in-house CFD and thermal software in support of vehicle aerothermal design and analysis across various flow regimes from subsonic to hypersonic
Plan and execute ground tests and design models for various wind tunnel and arcjet facilities
Conduct post-test analysis to validate numerical predictions then create and improve high fidelity models
Design future conceptual vehicles, performing detailed multidisciplinary system analysis including integration with launch platforms
Optimize hypersonic propulsion designs including inlet design, flowpath analysis, system integration, test, and evaluation