Thermal Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles

Anduril Industries

Confirmed live yesterday High trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Salary: $129,000–$171,000 / yr
Posted: 20 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live yesterday
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

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Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $168k

This role $150k

$121k most similar roles pay here $202k

This role pays less than 62% of similar roles. Most pay $142,250–$193,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $150k versus about $168k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

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About Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that builds advanced hardware and software systems for national security, including autonomous drones, surveillance systems, and the Lattice AI command platform.

Anduril Industries currently has 1697 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $146,000–$194,000 across 1504 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Thermal Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles

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Thermal Engineer, Hypersonic Air Vehicles joins the Thermal Engineering team to support the design and analysis of unmanned air vehicles operating in demanding high-speed flight environments. The role involves managing the full development lifecycle from conceptual design through ground testing and flight test analysis. Key responsibilities include performing thermal analysis using CFD and FEA methods, modeling material response under combined thermal and mechanical loads, conducting transient thermal analysis for mission profiles, and supporting ground test planning in specialized facilities. Candidates will utilize first principles along with MATLAB and Python to inform design decisions while collaborating with aerodynamics, structures, electrical, and systems engineers. The position requires expertise in heat transfer and fluid dynamics to solve complex thermal problems inherent in hypersonic vehicle programs, specifically addressing high-temperature environments and material degradation under extreme conditions.

Skills

Heat Transfer Fluid Dynamics CFD FEA MATLAB Python STAR-CCM+ ANSYS Fluent SolidWorks Siemens NX Thermal Analysis Material Response Modeling Data Acquisition Aerothermal Analysis Thermal Protection Systems

What you'll do

Perform thermal analysis of flight vehicles using CFD, FEA, and first principles engineering methods.
Support the thermal design of unmanned air vehicles across conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design stages.
Model material response under combined thermal and mechanical loads in high-speed environments.
Conduct transient thermal analysis for time-varying mission profiles.
Plan, execute, and analyze ground tests in specialized thermal test facilities.
Develop MATLAB and Python models to inform critical engineering design decisions.
Prepare formal technical documentation including specifications, test procedures, and reports.
Present thermal analysis results during internal design reviews.

What we're looking for

MS or higher degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Applied Physics focusing on heat transfer and fluid dynamics.
In-depth understanding of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and high-temperature environments.
Experience with thermal analysis using CFD (STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent) and/or FEA thermal solvers through coursework, research, or industry work.
Programming experience in MATLAB, Python, or similar languages.
Ability to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
1-5 years of industry experience in aerospace thermal engineering on rocket, aircraft, or missile programs (preferred).
Experience with high-speed flight regimes, thermal-structural coupling, or material response modeling in extreme environments (preferred).
Exposure to ground testing, CAD software (SolidWorks/Siemens NX), and formal documentation preparation (preferred).