Performance & Secondary Airflow Engineer - Adv. Nuclear Power Systems

Cb•Palm Beach Gardens, FL

About The Position

We are an innovative new venture focused on advanced micro nuclear power system for power generation to deliver safe, clean, and renewable power for the future. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy through advanced nuclear technology that is scalable, efficient, and reliable. As we expand, we are seeking passionate engineers to help design the next generation of thermal and power generation systems. We are seeking a highly skilled Performance and Secondary Airflow Engineer to support the analysis, development, and optimization of thermodynamic systems and turbomachinery performance. This role focuses on system-level performance modeling, secondary airflow and heat transfer analysis, and evaluation of off-design operating conditions across a range of working fluids and architectures. The ideal candidate combines strong fundamentals in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics with hands-on experience developing and integrating multi-fidelity models to assess system efficiency and performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field (Master’s or PhD preferred).
Strong foundation in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and turbomachinery.
Demonstrated experience with: Brayton and/or Rankine cycle analysis
Demonstrated experience with: 1D system modeling and performance analysis
Demonstrated experience with: Compressor and turbine map development and evaluation
Demonstrated experience with: Secondary airflow and heat transfer modeling
Demonstrated experience with: Off-design performance evaluation
Experience integrating 2D/3D aerodynamic models into lower-order system models.
Calibrating system models to engine data.
Familiarity with working fluid and gas mixture property evaluation, including non-ideal effects.
Experience analyzing and correlating performance test data.

Nice To Haves

Experience with system modeling tools (e.g., NPSS, MATLAB/Simulink, AxStream, or equivalent).
Knowledge of CFD tools and methods used to generate aerodynamic inputs for system models.
Understanding of cooling technologies and secondary flow networks in turbomachinery.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

Develop and analyze 1D system performance models for gas turbine and power generation systems based on Brayton and Rankine cycles.
Integrate 2D and 3D aerodynamic models (CFD or reduced-order representations) into 1D system models to improve fidelity and predictive capability.
Evaluate overall system efficiency, component performance, and performance sensitivity across design and off-design conditions.
Conduct secondary airflow and heat transfer analyses, including cooling flows, leakage flows, and their impact on component and system performance.
Develop, evaluate, and maintain compressor and turbine performance maps, including scaling, extrapolation, and validation.
Analyze performance using multiple working fluids and gas mixtures, accounting for real gas effects and variable thermophysical properties.
Support and interpret performance testing and validation, correlating test data with analytical and numerical models.
Assess system behavior under off-design and transient operating conditions, identifying performance limits and optimization opportunities.
Collaborate with aerodynamics, heat transfer, mechanical design, and test teams to ensure consistent system-level integration.

Benefits

401(k)
401(k) matching
Competitive salary
Dental insurance
Flexible schedule
Opportunity for advancement
Paid time off
Vision insurance
Wellness resources
Donation matching
Employee discounts
Health insurance
Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare, dental, vision, STD, LTD, Life/AD&D and 401(k).
Career advancement potential as AMPERA expands its fuel development and reactor manufacturing programs.