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Salary: USD 145,000 - 175,000 / annual
BETA Technologies is revolutionizing electric aviation through next-generation aircraft design. The Aerodynamics Engineer will support the aerodynamic design, analysis, testing, and validation of BETA's fixed-wing and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
Key responsibilities include:
- Develop and maintain aerodynamic models of varying fidelity to support aircraft design, performance, stability and control, loads, and flight-dynamics analysis
- Prepare, execute, and post-process full-vehicle and subsystem CFD simulations
- Develop and improve CFD pre-processing, post-processing, and automation methodologies
- Lead aerodynamic design studies, including airfoil selection, lifting-surface sizing, and aircraft configuration trade studies
- Develop and maintain aircraft drag budgets and performance calculations
- Plan and support wind-tunnel test campaigns, including test objectives, matrices, instrumentation, and post-processing
- Correlate CFD predictions and low-fidelity models with wind-tunnel and flight-test data
- Collaborate with Flight Test to plan, execute, analyze, and document flight-test activities
- Balance aerodynamic performance with structural, propulsion, flight-controls, thermal, and certification considerations
- Support aerodynamic loads development with the Structures team
- Develop aerodynamic validation and verification strategies for certification milestones
- Communicate analysis methods, results, and recommendations through reports and presentations
- Identify opportunities to improve vehicle performance, analysis methods, and test processes
The role is based onsite at South Burlington, VT or Raleigh, NC offices. Remote candidates may be considered for a hybrid arrangement with monthly in-person visits to South Burlington.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
- 3–5 years of experience in aircraft aerodynamic analysis, aerodynamic design, CFD, wind-tunnel testing, flight test, or related disciplines
- Experience with CFD analysis and aerodynamic simulation methods of varying fidelity
- Experience developing or using aerodynamic models to support aircraft performance, stability and control, loads, or flight-dynamics analysis
- Experience planning, executing, or analyzing wind-tunnel and/or flight-test activities
- Experience with MATLAB, Python, and data-analysis tools
- Experience with CAD tools and aircraft geometry development
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills for multidisciplinary teams
- Curiosity and ability to identify and rapidly implement new analysis, modeling, and test methods
- Must be a US Person
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience with aerodynamic design and analysis of vertical-flight, distributed-propulsion, or novel aircraft configurations
- Experience with aerodynamic analysis tools (XFOIL, MSES, AVL, Pointwise, Tecplot, etc.)
- Experience with aircraft conceptual design, configuration trade studies, airfoil development, and lifting-surface design
- Experience leading high lift design efforts
- Experience developing aircraft drag build-ups, performance models, or low-fidelity aerodynamic models
- Experience correlating CFD, wind-tunnel, and flight-test data
- Experience supporting aerodynamic certification activities
- Experience interpreting aerodynamic test data for stability and control, handling qualities, loads, or flight-controls
- Experience managing external aerodynamic-analysis, wind-tunnel, model-shop, test, or certification suppliers
- Experience as an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER)
