Principal Aerodynamics Engineer
About The Position
Heaviside Industries builds multi-domain autonomous precision munitions for U.S. and allied forces, designed to operate in GPS-denied and spectrum-jammed environments. The company conducts engineering and manufacturing in-house at its Los Angeles, California headquarters and Oslo, Norway office. The Principal Aerodynamics Engineer will own aerodynamic design for munition airframes, from configuration development and performance optimization through detailed analysis and flight testing. The role develops vehicle performance models and aerodynamic databases that support design decisions and GNC development, and leads propulsion-airframe integration and aerodynamic test campaigns. The engineer will also mentor colleagues and establish technical standards for analysis quality. This role requires at least 10 years of relevant aerodynamics or flight sciences experience on military air vehicles, including hardware that has flown, and demonstrated ownership of an air vehicle's aerodynamic design from concept through flight test. Applicants must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR. Compensation is determined by role, level, location, and market alignment. Full-time hires may be eligible for stock options and access to medical, vision, dental, and 401(k) benefits.
Requirements
- 10 or more years of aerodynamics or flight sciences experience on missiles, munitions, military UAS, or tactical aircraft, with hardware that flew.
- Demonstrated ownership of an air vehicle's aerodynamic design from concept through flight test.
- Expert proficiency in CFD tools such as STAR-CCM+, Fluent, or OpenFOAM, and low-order aerodynamic prediction tools such as Missile DATCOM or AVL, with sound judgment about when to use each.
- Strong foundation in flight mechanics, stability and control, and generation of aerodynamic databases for 6-DOF weapon simulation.
- Experience planning and executing wind tunnel tests and reducing test data.
- Working fluency in performance analysis for small, fast, or long-endurance tactical air vehicles under real employment constraints.
- U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.62).
Nice To Haves
- Experience with high-subsonic/transonic munition aerodynamics or folding/tube-launched configurations.
- Experience correlating CFD and flight test data through parameter identification on defense programs.
Responsibilities
- Own aerodynamic design of munition airframes, including configuration development, airfoil and planform selection, and performance optimization across launch, cruise, and terminal flight.
- Lead aerodynamic analysis from conceptual sizing through detailed design using low-order methods and CFD, informed by wind tunnel and flight test data.
- Develop and maintain vehicle performance models for range, endurance, dash speed, and terminal maneuver capability to guide design trades and customer commitments.
- Generate stability and control derivatives and aerodynamic databases for GNC design, including folding-surface deployment transients and tube-launch separation aerodynamics.
- Lead propulsion-airframe integration for electric and small air-breathing propulsion, including propeller/motor performance matching.
- Plan and execute aerodynamic test campaigns, including wind tunnel entries, instrumented flight tests at DoD ranges, and parameter identification.
- Mentor engineers across the vehicle design team and set the technical standard for analysis quality.
Benefits
- Stock options may be available to full-time hires.
- Access to medical coverage.
- Access to vision coverage.
- Access to dental coverage.
- Access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
Education Level
No Education Listed
