Research & Development Aeronautical Engineer (Experienced)

Are you passionate about your work and dream of utilizing state-of-the-art facilities to explore solutions? Do you want to join a dynamic team that solves significant issues for our nation’s security?

We are seeking a self-directed, customer focused, individual who has strong interpersonal skills to support lab-wide efforts focusing on the aerodynamic and aero-thermal analysis of reentry systems, atmospheric flight vehicles, and rocket systems. Aero-thermal Analysts will perform research, capability development, and analyses using analytical and computational techniques to design and analyze thermal protection systems. The responsibilities associated with this position span the spectrum of activities from research to development and applications.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Work with other researchers in the department over the complete capability development cycle of discover, model, validate and apply, developing new and extending existing analysis capabilities as needed to deal with constantly evolving technical needs and requirements
• You will be involved in supporting Sandia’s numerous flight test programs, working to analyze proposed vehicles to support design and analyze flight test data in support of these programs. It is expected that this experience will feed back into the capability development cycle.
• You will show demonstrated proficiencies and interest in modeling research spanning multiple disciplines, including turbulent high speed flowfield modeling, fluid structure interactions, aero-thermodynamics, and material thermal response.

Department Description:

The Aerosciences Department of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico offers challenging and important work relating to national security in R&D and technology applications in aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, compressible fluid mechanics, and flight dynamics. Our primary mission supports U.S. Department of Energy Defense Programs, and aerosciences projects funded through the U.S. Department of Defense, DARPA, NASA, and industry. Our projects span the Mach number range from subsonic through hypersonic and involve systems ranging from aircraft released ordinance to reentry systems and rocket systems. Technical activities include experimental, analytical, and computational efforts plus support of flight test activities, both pre-flight/post-flight analyses and field test operations. The Aerosciences Department maintains a strong balance of research and development activities and works synergistically with other organizations at Sandia to meet current and future customer needs.

About Sandia:

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible schedules, generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

Security Clearance:

EEO Statement:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Required:

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or other related engineering or natural science field plus two or more years’ experience or a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or other related engineering or natural science field
• Experience with thermal protection materials, computational fluid dynamics modeling, or a closely related discipline
• Experience with the Linux operating system and with a high-level programming language such as FORTRAN, C, or C++
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoE Q clearance

Desired:

• Experience with Matlab, Python, scripting languages and grid generation software
• Experience with parallel programing, model development for high speed flows
• Experience/familiarity with Verification and Validation and Uncertainty Quantification
• Experience with computational approaches (finite element, finite difference, and finite volume methods) for CFD simulations of compressible High Reynolds number flows
• Experience working on a diverse multi-disciplinary team and familiarity with next-generation computing programming models (e.g. OpenMP, CUDA, Kokkos)
• Thorough knowledge of and applied experience with scientific and engineering methods and with discipline standards for the ethical conduct of research
• You should have strong verbal and written communication skills and an ability to interact well with fellow technical workers with diverse technical background

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level security clearance.

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.