Principal Aerodynamicist

Atropos•San Diego, CA

About The Position

We’re a combat-tested group of engineers, operators, and entrepreneurs who believe America’s edge depends on autonomous airpower that’s trusted and deployable today not in 2040. Backed by tier-one investors, we’ve secured the runway - financial, regulatory, and literal - to move at startup speed while tackling a national-security mission that matters. We’ve structured the company for radical ownership: no silos, no “systems integrator” overhead, just tightly knit mission-focused IPTs that live and breathe the hardware and code they ship. If you thrive where hard-tech ambition meets national-security urgency, you’ll build faster here than anywhere else. Let’s get after it. Culture That Ships Strong Core Values, Startup Execution. Integrity, Service Before Self, Excellence, Honor, Courage, Commitment—powered by a bias for action and a “figure it out” mindset. Self-Starters Only. You’ll have clear objectives, a blank sheet of paper, and the trust (plus capital) to move fast. Bureaucracy stays out of your way. One Team, No Tourists. Whether you’re tuning a control law at 2 a.m. or heat-treating a Ti-6Al-4V spar, everyone sweats the details. We celebrate wins together and own failures together. What’s In It for You Mission With a Pulse. Every line of code, bracket, or test you deliver expands the toolbox of the warfighter on Day 1 of a conflict. Resources Without Red Tape. VC speed + DoD customer pull: access to test ranges, flight hours, and operator feedback while retaining startup agility. Career-Defining Upside. Significant equity, best-in-class benefits, and the chance to see your product deliver in months, not decades.

Requirements

M.S. or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent) with ≥ 7 yrs relevant experience.
Deep expertise in CFD (e.g., SU2, Fluent, OVERFLOW), panel methods, and wind-tunnel test design.
Demonstrated history of hands-on, first-principles analysis in rapid-development programs.
Ability to convey complex results to cross-functional audiences.
Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Prior LO (low observables) signature shaping experience.
Experience coupling aerodynamics with AI-enabled design-of-experiments workflows.

Responsibilities

Lead aerodynamic design, analysis, and wind-tunnel/CFD correlation for a clean-sheet, long-range autonomous air vehicle.
Optimize planform, airfoil, and high-lift devices to maximize range and payload while meeting survivability constraints.
Create rapid-iteration tools and templates for sizing trades.
Collaborate daily with GNC, Flight Controls, and Structures IPTs to mature configuration through CoDR/PDR/CDR.
Support flight-test envelope expansion and post-flight data reduction.

Benefits

Base Salary: $195,000 to 255,000 USD
Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Atropos's total compensation package.
Platinum Healthcare Benefits: Atropos offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with 100% employer-paid premiums and little to no cost to you
Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Atropos, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents
Unlimited PTO, with minimum of 15 days enforced
20 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition
Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting
Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well
Tuition and professional development reimbursement for STEM, MBA, and licenses
Daily Lunch catered
Company-funded child care stipend
Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.
Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).
401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). 6% employer matching contribution