ENGINEER - RESEARCH ENGINEER - Aerodynamics and Fluid Dynamics of Turbomachinery

Who We Are:

We are the Rotating Machinery Dynamics Section in the Fluid Machinery Department and Mechanical Engineering Division at SwRI. We design, develop, troubleshoot, and test new machinery for advanced power, oil & gas, and aviation applications.

Objectives of this Role:

• Lead the design and analysis of Compressor and Turbine Aero Components for advanced machinery developed by the RMD section and lead reviews on designs provided by clients.
• Perform 1D and 3D sizing and optimization of Aero geometry through CFD and other aero software/codes.
• Utilize engineering software to conduct machinery flowpath development and analysis: Fluent, CFX, and Blade Generation software.
• Lead test programs centered around Turbine and Compressor Aerodynamics.
• Be a solution-oriented problem solver that exercises creativity and independent judgement in determining approaches to solve a wide range of technical problems with moderate supervision.
• Write technical reports, papers, proposals and prepare technical presentations for client meetings and conferences.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Use engineering software for design and analysis of Turbine and Compressor Aero Components for use in advanced power, oil & gas, and aviation applications.
• Perform engineering and scientific research and investigations to support projects in the industries of oil and gas, power generation, and aviation.
• Project tasks will primarily be related to rotating machinery.
• Provide analytical or experimental support to more than one project in a team environment, which can include literature reviews, data collection, test design, developing computational simulations, deriving first-principles or correlative based solutions to problems.
• Interpret and present simulation results to project team and clients in a concise and clear way.
• Interrogate results for reliability and provide troubleshooting support for tests and simulations with a firm understanding of theories and concepts using a first-principles approach.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors, Masters or a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or Electrical Engineering.
• 0-5 years: Experience or an interest in the Design and development of Turbine and/or Compressor Aero Components
• If candidate has a graduate degree, prefer applicants whose degree program include academic experience in the design and development of radial and axial turbomachinery components.
• Must be able to learn new technical skills to complete project work and develop custom tools to assist the team in future turbomachinery development work.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.