CFD Engineer - Aerodynamics &
Propulsion
High-Fidelity Simulation | Internal & External Flows | Inlet, Combustor & Nozzle Analysis
Job Title CFD Engineer - Aerodynamics & Propulsion
Location Hybrid; remote considered for the right candidate
Employment Type Full Time
Department Engineering / Aerodynamics & Propulsion
Reports To Shawn Gilmore
Salary Range $100,000 to $150,000
Equity Yes
Position Overview
Tiberius Aerospace is seeking a CFD Engineer to support aerodynamic and propulsion analysis for our advanced
air vehicle and munition programs. This role is hands-on with the simulation stack: meshing, solving, and post-
processing high-fidelity CFD for internal flows (inlets, combustors, nozzles) and external aerodynamics across
subsonic through high-supersonic regimes. You will work closely with aerodynamics and propulsion engineers to
turn design questions into well-posed CFD studies and turn CFD results into design guidance the rest of the team
can use. This is an excellent role for an engineer who wants deep, hands-on computational experience on real
flight hardware programs.
What You'll Do
Set up, solve, and post-process high-fidelity CFD simulations for internal flows including inlets, combustors, and
nozzles, and external aerodynamic flows across the flight envelope.
Support inlet and nozzle flow path design studies using high-fidelity RANS or transient CFD as appropriate to the
design phase.
Generate aerodynamic and propulsion databases from CFD results for use in vehicle performance modeling and
trajectory simulation.
Develop and execute large-scale parametric CFD studies on commercial or government high-performance
computing platforms.
Support combustor and reacting-flow analysis workflows including fuel injection, atomization, and combustion
process modeling as applicable to the propulsion architecture.
Correlate CFD predictions against wind tunnel, direct-connect, or flight test data and help refine simulation setup
based on observed discrepancies.
Document CFD methodology, mesh and solver settings, and validation basis for each major analysis campaign.
Collaborate with the Aero-Propulsion and Flight Dynamics & Controls teams to ensure CFD-derived data products
meet the fidelity and format requirements of downstream simulation users.
CFD Methods & Simulation Execution
Develop and refine computational meshes for internal and external flow domains, balancing mesh resolution
against turnaround time requirements for each phase of design.
Configure and run RANS and, where required, transient high-fidelity CFD simulations (such as DES or DDES) for
inlet and combustor performance, nozzle flow, and external aerodynamic characterization.
Apply viscous-coupled panel methods or method-of-characteristics tools for rapid conceptual-level aerodynamic
design studies ahead of higher-fidelity CFD confirmation.
Post-process CFD results to extract performance metrics such as pressure recovery, distortion, thrust and drag
bookkeeping, and aerodynamic coefficients, and package results into formats usable by the performance
modeling and trajectory simulation teams.
Support reacting-flow CFD setup for combustor analysis, including fuel injection and atomization modeling,
working under the direction of propulsion engineers.
Manage CFD job submission, monitoring, and data management on HPC platforms, troubleshooting convergence
issues and solver stability problems as they arise.
Support correlation studies comparing CFD predictions to wind tunnel, ground test, and flight test data, helping
identify and document sources of discrepancy.
Maintain CFD case documentation including mesh generation procedures, boundary condition definitions, solver
settings, and convergence criteria for reproducibility and audit.
Operational & Cross-Functional Support
Coordinate with Aero-Propulsion team members on CFD study scope, priority, and turnaround requirements
relative to program design milestones.
Provide aerodynamic and propulsion data products to the Flight Dynamics & Controls team for trajectory
simulation and stability analysis use.
Support test planning activities by providing pre-test CFD predictions used to define wind tunnel or ground test
points and success criteria.
Participate in design reviews and provide CFD-based technical support for aerodynamic and propulsion design
decisions.
Coordinate with IT or computing infrastructure support on HPC account access, software licensing, and
computational resource allocation.
Support documentation of CFD methodology and results for program milestone review packages.
What You'll Bring
B.S. or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
2 to 5 years of CFD experience, which may include relevant graduate research, internships, or industry
experience on air vehicle, propulsion, or munition programs.
Hands-on experience with at least one major CFD solver (e.g., commercial codes such as Fluent or STAR-CCM+,
or DoD/academic codes such as FUN3D, Kestrel, or CFD++).
Working knowledge of meshing tools and mesh generation strategies for internal and external aerodynamic flow
domains.
Understanding of compressible aerodynamics and propulsion flow physics across subsonic through high-
supersonic regimes.
Proficiency in CFD post-processing, data reduction, and automation.
Must be a U.S. citizen and eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
Preferred Experience
Experience with internal flow CFD for inlets, combustors, or nozzles on air-breathing propulsion systems.
Experience with reacting-flow or combustion CFD modeling.
Familiarity with transient high-fidelity methods such as DES, DDES, or LES for operability and distortion analysis.
Experience running CFD on commercial or DoD HPC platforms, including job scheduling and parallel scaling.
Background correlating CFD predictions against wind tunnel, ground test, and flight test data.
Experience with high-dynamic, high-g, or gun-launched flight environments.
Active or clearable to obtain a U.S. government security clearance.
What We're Looking For
A CFD engineer who is genuinely comfortable in the weeds of a simulation - mesh quality, boundary conditions,
convergence behavior - and who can troubleshoot a stalled solver without escalating every issue.
Someone who understands that a CFD result is only useful if it is correctly framed, documented, and handed off
in a format the next person can actually use.
An engineer who is eager to grow technical depth in propulsion integration and flight vehicle aerodynamics, with
strong fundamentals and the right instincts to build on.
Someone who communicates results clearly, flags uncertainty honestly, and is comfortable saying when a result
does not look right rather than passing along a number without scrutiny.
A team player who enjoys working closely with a senior lead, absorbing methodology, and taking on increasing
analysis ownership over time.
Compensation & Benefits
Tiberius Aerospace offers competitive base compensation commensurate with experience, equity participation,
comprehensive health benefits, and 401(k). Specific compensation will be discussed during the interview process.
Growth Opportunity
This role offers the opportunity to build deep, hands-on CFD expertise on real flight hardware programs, working
directly with Aero-Propulsion colleagues on propulsion integration and vehicle aerodynamics for next-generation
precision strike systems. As Tiberius scales through Series A and into full-rate development, this person will have
the opportunity to take on increasing analysis ownership, lead CFD studies independently, and grow into a senior
aerodynamics or propulsion engineering role.