Senior Aerodynamic/Hydrodynamic System Engineer - The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Draper is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.   We understand the value of diversity and its impact on a high-performance culture.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.   

Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact hr@draper.com.

Draper is seeking a senior aerodynamic/hydrodynamic system analyst to drive the design and development of novel solutions to customer driven problems surrounding ruggedized miniature electro-mechanical systems, systems for harsh environments (e.g. high-g, high temperature, high pressure, high vibration), and robotics and autonomous systems with a focus on aerodynamic/hydrodynamic performance.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Perform analytical modeling and computational fluid dynamics analysis of complex electro-mechanical systems from an aerodynamic/hydrodynamic operational performance standpoint
• Perform system-level trade studies (size, weight, and power), balancing propulsion/energetics, performance (including aero/hydro), structural design/materials, payload capacity, mission timelines/speed and cost
• Able to provide insight and suggest design modifications based on analysis outcomes, and to apply analysis techniques across a range of technical disciplines
• Drive solutions to complex problems with limited direction – contribute towards requirements development, propose ways forward, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements
• Communicate task outcomes effectively and openly with multi-disciplinary program teams, senior management, and sponsors (both expert and non-expert)
• Seeks out opportunities to help new or less experienced engineers and gives constructive feedback when appropriate
• Identify program/system-level technical risks and develop and execute mitigation strategies for them
• Adheres to best practices and seeks to improve practices to improve operations; Demonstrate strong organization, planning, and time management skills to achieve program goals

Required Qualifications:   

• Bachelor of Science degree with 7+ years of experience in a relevant field such as aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or materials science
• Team player able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to balance multiple competing tasks and demands
• Expertise with analysis tools such as FLUENT, MATLAB, ANSYS, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Experience designing in 3D CAD, specifically SolidWorks or Creo
• Familiarity with machine shop tools and processes, prototyping, and environmental testing to validate analysis results
• Experience writing proposals, executing feasibility studies, and generating ROM estimates of system performance/size, weight, power/cost with imperfect or incomplete information

Security Requirement:     

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. 

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