Staff Aerothermal CFD Engineer Verified today
About Inversion Space
Inversion builds advanced reentry systems to deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in under an hour. Our lifting-body reentry platform operates through extreme reentry conditions and lands with high precision, creating a maneuverable, accurate, and low-cost vehicle designed for both national security and commercial applications.
What You'll Do
As Staff Aerothermal CFD Engineer, you will characterize the aerothermal environment on and around the reentry vehicle with emphasis on rarefied flow regimes. You will lead creation of high-fidelity simulations, mentor team members, and drive efforts to build confidence in vehicle models.
Day-to-day responsibilities include:
- Develop and implement cutting-edge CFD tools and workflows
- Lead high-fidelity simulation campaigns for hypersonic reentry conditions
- Mentor engineering team members on CFD methods and tools
- Integrate ground and flight test data into aerothermal vehicle models
- Solve novel high-speed flow challenges and define CFD strategy
- Work in fast-paced environment with rapid prototyping and iteration
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience
- 9+ years of experience in hypersonic, supersonic, reentry, or rocketry external flow-field aerothermal analysis
- Strong experience with high-fidelity rarefied gas dynamics simulation (SPARTA, DAC, MAP, plasma simulation tools, or equivalent)
- Proficiency with meshing software such as Fidelity Pointwise or Link3D
- Deep knowledge of flows in thermal-chemical non-equilibrium
- Experience modeling mixed-regime flows such as plumes exhausting into rarefied flows
- Proficiency in uncertainty quantification and relevant mathematical models
- Proven ability to work effectively in fast-paced environment with rapid iteration
- Must have ability to obtain and maintain U.S. government Secret/Top Secret security clearance
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent field
- Experience modifying CFD solvers or coupling them for multi-physics simulations
- Experience with high-temperature gas flow solvers (US3D, DPLR, LAURA)
- Experience modeling radiative heating using radiation transport tools
- Experience conducting comprehensive CFD campaigns from early vehicle stages through first flight
- Programming proficiency in Python, Fortran, C++, MATLAB, or similar languages
- Involvement in planning, leading, or post-processing arc-jet tunnel campaigns
Compensation and Location
California annual base salary: $161,000-$221,000. Pay determined by role, level, location, and market alignment. Individual compensation varies based on interviews, job-related skills, education, experience, certifications, and internal equity considerations.
This position requires in-office presence at Inversion's headquarters in Playa Vista, California.
ITAR Compliance
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.