Aero-Thermal Analyst

Senior Aero-Thermal Analyst

The Senior Aero-Thermal Analyst is responsible for applying fundamental physics principles—including classical mechanics, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism—to support the design, development, and verification of aerospace systems across various programs. This role spans the full development lifecycle, from conceptual design through engineering release and final verification, including stress analysis and test planning.

Key responsibilities include performing aerothermal analyses, modeling pyrotechnic and pneumatic gas dynamics, analyzing multi-body kinematics, and solving complex heat transfer problems. The analyst will frequently operate independently within a fast-paced, cross-functional team environment, requiring strong organization, collaboration, and communication skills. This position reports directly to the Director of Engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply physical principles to engineering challenges to predict and evaluate system performance, inform concept-of-operations decisions, and support the development of subsystem requirements.

• Conduct structural viability assessments of aerospace structures and mechanisms by:

  • Utilizing knowledge of materials (metallic and composite), structural mechanics, statics, and dynamics

  • Creating free body diagrams, determining load paths, calculating reaction forces and internal loads, and generating shear/moment diagrams

  • Performing classical hand calculations, finite element analysis (FEA), and fatigue/damage tolerance assessments

• Provide technical oversight at the program level to ensure systems meet all applicable performance and design requirements

• Support the development and execution of test plans to validate system behavior

• Prepare and maintain detailed engineering reports, documentation, and technical presentations

• Verify and document compliance with system-level requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field

• 4-10 years of relevant aerospace and/or defense industry experience

• Proficient in engineering and simulation tools including STAR-CCM , FEMAP, NASTRAN, LS-DYNA, CATIA V5, SolidWorks, and Microsoft Office

• Solid understanding of aerospace engineering fundamentals including structural analysis, FEA, dynamics, kinematics, and physics-based modeling

• Familiarity with advanced high-strength materials and aerospace design/test practices

• Foundational understanding of analytical methods and their underlying theory

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with strong technical documentation and problem-solving abilities

• Must be a U.S. citizen and eligible for a DoD SECRET clearance