Senior Missile Aerodynamics Engineer

nou Systems, Inc. (nSI) is now officially a 100% ESOP company! We value teamwork and collaboration, and this transition allows us to take that commitment to a new level. nSI empowers our customers by supplying products, services, and expertise with powerful, data driven insights that transform defense systems and improve capabilities.

nou Systems, Inc. (nSI) is here to build systems that solve our nation's most challenging defense problems in an enjoyable, stimulating environment. We're looking for talented builders with high levels of curiosity and extremely strong grounding in fundamentals and engineering first principles. If you're hungry for harder problems, used to working quickly, and excited to take innovative systems from napkin to the field, this is your happy place. 

We are pleased to announce the opening for a Senior Aerodynamics Engineer who will join our elite R&D team in Huntsville, Alabama building transformative low cost interceptors for emerging DoD applications. nSI is known for fielding revolutionary missile defense systems, pioneering step changes in RF seeker technology, introducing principled AI systems, and rapidly pioneering novel defense platforms, from space to the seabed.  We're small and agile, and ready to disrupt the status quo. 

Responsibilities:

Our small team has developed a game-changing interferometric RF seeker technology which has significant implications for making low-complexity, low-cost, high-performance interceptors for combating raids of asymmetric threats. Our seeker approach is patented, tested, funded by multiple customers, and in high demand for emerging threats. 

You will be an integral part of a team developing a best-in-class interceptor around this seeker as our aerodynamics lead. Starting from your knowledge of both first principles and practical deployment challenges, you'll architect, rapidly prototype, and implement the aerodynamic design for highly maneuverable, small diameter (120 mm and lower) surface-to-air interceptor designs. You will shape the optimal airframe geometries, inform control surface and propulsion integration, define the flight envelope from launch to endgame, and develop integrated aerodynamic solutions that push the boundaries of what's achievable at low-cost in contested environments against stressing threats. Your work will span the full aerodynamic design space - from conceptual shaping through detailed CFD analysis to flight validation. Shocks, stability, moments, meshing, and boundary layers should be your bread and butter. 

You'll interface directly with guidance, manufacturing, and structures experts to ensure your aerodynamics concepts exploit our seeker to the fullest. This includes developing adaptive aerodynamic configurations that maintain stability and control throughout the flight envelope and designing robust solutions that maintain performance across dispersed environments, atmospheric conditions, threat sets, and engagement scenarios.

As part of our small, elite team, you'll take aerodynamics concepts from whiteboard sketches to CFD to flight tests in months, not years. 

Basic Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree minimum in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or similar technical field
• Seven years of full-time professional experience in aerodynamics and flight vehicle design roles
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain an active Secret Security Clearance

Technical Competencies - You must demonstrate expertise in:

• Modern aerodynamic / aero control design methodologies including wave drag minimization and control surface optimization, starting from baseline designs or from scratch
• High-fidelity CFD analysis and validation techniques
• Rapid, efficient execution of testing to confirm analysis
• Aerodynamic database development for 6-DoF simulations
• Real-world implementation of aerodynamic designs with launcher and manufacturing constraints
• Impact of aerodynamic choices on platform cost, other subsystems, and integration/manufacturing complexity

Core Technical Skills:

• Deep understanding of compressible flow physics, shock-boundary layer interactions, and aerodynamic heating
• Sufficient technical expertise to understand the impact of seeker integration, control actuator placement, propulsion system selection, structural requirements, and thermal management on aerodynamic performance
• Proficiency in rapid prototyping of aerodynamic configurations from concept through flight test
• Demonstrated ability to develop aerodynamic solutions from first principles for various flight regim