Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications Engineer

Job Description:

Position Overview

AMA is seeking an experienced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Applications Engineer to perform aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic analyses and simulations across a wide range of flight regimes in support of a NASA contract. The successful candidate will apply advanced CFD methodologies to analyze vehicle performance spanning low-speed commercial aircraft configurations through hypersonic re-entry conditions, contributing to the advancement of aerospace vehicle design and mission success.

Work will be performed in an office environment with access to high-performance computing resource. This position may require occasional travel to other NASA centers, research facilities, or technical conferences. Approximate salary range for this role is $84,000-$110,000 commensurate with education and experience.

 Key Responsibilities:

• Perform computational fluid dynamics simulations for aerospace vehicles operating across multiple speed regimes, including but not limited to:

  • Low-speed commercial aircraft in landing configurations

  • Transonic and supersonic flight conditions

  • Hypersonic reentry of crew and cargo configurations

• Conduct steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations to predict aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic performance, forces, moments, heat loads, and flow characteristics.

• Generate high-quality unstructured grids for complex vehicle geometries and perform either manual or automated grid adaptation.

• Analyze and interpret CFD results to provide engineering insights for vehicle design, performance optimization, and mission planning.

• Validate simulation results against other computational approaches, experimental data, and flight test measurements.

• Document analysis methodologies, simulation parameters, and results in technical reports and presentation.s

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including aerodynamicists, aerothermodynamicists, aeroelasticians, and flight mechanics engineers.

• Support the development and implementation of best practices for CFD simulation workflows.

• Contribute to code verification and validation activities to ensure simulation accuracy and reliability.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or closely related field; or 2+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or closely related field.

• 2 years of experience with steady RANS simulations.

• Demonstrated proficiency with industry-standard unstructured-grid CFD software packages (FUN3D, STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, or equivalent).

• Strong background in fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, and numerical methods.

• Experience with grid generation tools (unstructured and hybrid meshes)

• Proficiency in Linux/Unix environments and high-performance computing (HPC) systems.

• Experience analyzing flows across multiple Mach number regimes.

• Strong programming/scripting skills (Python, MATLAB, Fortran, C/C++, or similar).

• Ability to process and visualize large datasets (Tecplot, ParaView, FieldView, or equivalent).

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical capabilities

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team

• Proven track record of technical documentation and reporting

• U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence

 Desired Qualifications:

• Proficiency with the NASA-developed CFD code and automated grid refinement

• Experience with steady RANS simulations such as:

• Turbulence modeling (k-ε, k-ω, SST, Spalart-Allmaras, etc.)

• Compressible and incompressible flow solvers applied to subsonic through supersonic regimes

• High-lift aerodynamics and complex flow phenomena

• Experience with hypersonic flow physics, including:

  • High-temperature gas effects

  • Chemical non-equilibrium

  • Radiation heat transfer

  • Ablation modeling

• Familiarity with scale-resolving methods, including:

  • Hybrid RANS-LES approaches

  • Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Wall-Modeled LES (WMLES)

  • Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) and variants (DDES, IDDES)

  • Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS)

• Knowledge of uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis techniques

• Experience with high-lift device analysis (flaps, slats, landing gear aerodynamics)

• Experience with automated workflow development and parametric studies

• Experience with programming for high-performance computing (MPI, CUDA/HIP/SYCL for GPUs, OpenMP)

• Background in experimental aerodynamics and wind tunnel testing

• Publications in peer-reviewed journals or conference proceedings

U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence Required.

Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA) is proud of our customer relationships, our diverse and dynamic work environment, and our employees' career satisfaction. AMA is a small business with a wide reach; headquartered in Hampton, VA, AMA has operations in Greenbelt, MD; Huntsville, AL; Dallas and Houston, TX; Denver, CO; Mountain View, CA; and Edwards Air Force Base, CA. With over 60 years of experience, AMA specializes in aerospace engineering, science, analytics, information technology, and visualization solutions. AMA combines the best of engineering, science, and mathematics capabilities with the latest in information technologies, visualization, and multimedia to build creative solutions. We offer competitive salaries and a substantial benefits package, including but not limited to paid personal and federally recognized holiday leave, salary deferrals into a 401(k)-matching plan with immediate vesting, tuition reimbursement, short/long term disability plans, and a variety of medical, dental, and vision insurance options.

AMA is committed to the professional growth of every employee, understanding that the successes of our employees drive our success. We provide a work environment that is engaging, collaborative, and supportive. To learn more about our company, please visit our website at www.ama-inc.com/careers and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

AMA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited under federal, state, or local laws.