Senior Mechanical Engineer with CFD Expertise

ARA • Panama City, FL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

ARA’s Engineering Science Division is seeking an experienced mechanical engineer with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) expertise to support the design, development, prototyping, integration, and qualification of complex mechanical systems. The role combines computer-aided design (CAD), CFD engineering analysis, prototyping, system-level reviews, and hardware integration. The successful candidate will communicate engineering decisions to technical and non-technical stakeholders and take concepts through detailed design to release-quality manufacturing and assembly drawings.

This is an on-site position at ARA’s Panama City, Florida office. Hybrid work may be possible for the right candidate, with at least three days per week in the office. The position requires regular travel to Newport, Rhode Island, of up to 15%.

ARA is an employee-owned international research and engineering company that provides solutions to complex problems in the physical sciences. Founded in 1979, the company employs more than 2,200 professionals and has offices throughout the United States and Canada. Employees are eligible to participate in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of related work experience; a graduate degree or research may partially fulfill the experience requirement.
• Experience using CFD modeling software in design work.
• Experience with design analysis and mechanical design requirements development.
• Understanding of nominal and off-nominal operations for a technical system and its interactions with other systems.
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, leadership, and teamwork skills.
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Active Secret clearance is highly desired.
• Strong background in thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer applied to high-pressure, high-temperature systems.
• Experience developing first-principles engineering calculations to validate numerical simulations and support design decisions.
• Proficiency with CFD for compressible, high-temperature, high-pressure flow.
• Experience developing customized CFD models, user-defined functions (UDFs), and solver modifications.
• Ability to conduct static and dynamic structural finite element analysis (FEA), including thermal stress, pressure loading, vibration, and shock response.
• Experience with thermo-mechanical coupling to evaluate stresses resulting from rapid pressure and temperature transients.
• Knowledge of material behavior under elevated temperatures, high strain rates, cyclic loading, and thermal fatigue.
• Ability to correlate analytical models with experimental test data, identify model uncertainties, and improve predictive accuracy.
• Experience interpreting high-speed instrumentation data, including pressure, temperature, strain, and acceleration measurements.
• Understanding of reliability engineering, failure analysis, and root cause investigation.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills and ability to collaborate across mechanical, materials, manufacturing, and test engineering teams.
• Demonstrated ability to take complex engineering concepts from analytical modeling through prototype testing and production implementation.
• Understanding or prior experience in the Undersea Warfare domain.

Responsibilities

• Perform engineering design evaluations on weapons systems.
• Use commercial and open-source CFD software, such as ANSYS Fluent or OpenFOAM, to perform transient CFD simulations involving turbulent and multiphase flow, mixing, and complex fluid interactions at high temperatures and pressures.
• Post-process and visualize velocity, pressure, temperature, species concentration, and phase distribution.
• Validate CFD predictions against experimental measurements or empirical calculations.
• Use CFD simulations to improve designs by evaluating flow characteristics, identifying performance limitations, and optimizing system geometry and operating parameters.
• Procure, assemble, and test advanced prototypes to inform design decisions and refinements and demonstrate performance.
• Prepare and present designs at design reviews.
• Assist in developing hardware requirements.
• Ensure designs satisfy requirements and demonstrate performance through a thorough verification and validation program.
• Analyze data and make recommendations for improvement.
• Manage multiple issues simultaneously and develop integrated solutions.
• Work with fabrication and manufacturing departments to ensure designs are properly executed in mechanical products.
• Assist across areas of the development process as needed to meet project milestones.

Benefits

• Eligibility to participate in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• ARA provides employees with tools, training, and opportunities to take active roles as owners.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior