Principal Fluid Systems Engineer

What you will do in this role:

• Serve as the technical owner of all fluid systems on the next-gen platform, including fuel, air, thermal loops, cryogenic flows, and hydraulic actuation
• Architect and model fluid systems from first principles, balancing tradeoffs in flow rate, pressure drop, temperature, and integration complexity
• Lead the development of system-level models and simulations using ANSYS Fluent, CFX, Thermal Desktop, and MATLAB/Simulink
• Define and validate component specifications for pumps, valves, tanks, regulators, ducts, and routing
• Collaborate with propulsion, thermal, and mechanical teams to optimize system coupling and packaging
• Lead design reviews, FMEAs, and test planning, with an eye toward robustness, maintainability, and performance under flight loads
• Mentor and guide other fluid and thermal engineers, establishing engineering best practices and advancing internal capability
• Interface with suppliers and manufacturing partners for component design, fabrication, and testing
• Create and maintain comprehensive engineering documentation including schematics, models, interface control drawings (ICDs), and analysis reports
• Drive the long-term vision for fluid systems across platform variants, upgrades, and future aircraft generations

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 15+ years of experience in aerospace fluid systems, thermal/fluid design, or propulsion-related subsystems
• Extensive experience with CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, CFX, STAR-CCM+), thermal/fluid system modeling, and simulation of dynamic/transient behavior
• Proven ownership of complex fluid-handling systems in aerospace, defense, or comparable high-reliability environments
• Strong understanding of compressible and incompressible flows, thermal coupling, multiphase flow behavior, and environmental effects
• Familiarity with thermal-fluid interaction, flight qualification, and high-altitude operating conditions
• Hands-on experience with prototyping, test rig development, and system validation
• Excellent documentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Preferred qualifications:

• PhD or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering with a focus on fluid mechanics or thermodynamics
• Background in UAV, jet propulsion, or autonomous aircraft development
• Familiarity with MIL-STD, DO-160, or aerospace validation standards
• Experience with integration into AI-controlled or semi-autonomous platforms
• Active or previous DoD clearance (not required)