Engineer, Combustion Aerodynamics

Job purpose

The Combustion Aerodynamics Engineer supports the development, integration, and validation of the reactor subsystem within the KARNO generator. This key role executes the design of products using sound engineering principles and adhering to business standards, practices, procedures, and product/program requirements. This work may include aerodynamic, mechanical, and/or electrical engineering for all products.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Ownership and aerodynamic design authority of the reactor and oxidation system including aerodynamics, fuel/air mixing, management of heat release, emissions, performance, etc.
• Designing and oversight regarding the operation of laboratory facilities focused on combustion aero system development and validation.
• Oversight of emissions certification per local, state, and federal regulations as required.
• Support of hardware components, sub-systems and/or entire engine system from all avenues including functionality, durability, manufacturability, serviceability, cost, weight, validation, etc.
• Collaborate with design, electrical, software, and performance teams to establish requirements and generate robust designs.
• Prepare technical reports and conduct technical reviews to present findings and propose solutions for any identified conflicts. Manage trade-off discussions and engineering decisions.
• Support and lead efforts to build, test, and validate prototypes to tease out flaws in design.
• Support the design checking process by reviewing prints and ensuring tolerances, processes and material specifications are aligned with the Hyliion product design guidelines.
• Support the identification and selection of suppliers to support prototype and production needs.
• Support the purchasing process to and assist in the procurement of hardware from key suppliers as needed.
• Additional duties and responsibilities a assigned, needed, or required for the business.

Qualifications

Education, Experience and Certifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering.
• 10 years of work experience in the engineering field.
• Advanced degree in Engineering (Doctoral or Master) preferred.
• 5 years in aerospace, power generation, or industrial heating industry.
• Experience working with governmental agencies (EPA, CARB, etc.) to plan and conduct certification testing and submit reports - with specific focus on emissions data reporting conventions and standards.
• Extensive experience in combustion system development, especially with focus on gas turbine or similar steady-flow combustion architectures.

Skills

• Ability to design and troubleshoot complex aero and combustion systems.
• Significant experience in emissions testing for combustion system development, with focus on gas analyzers for standard combustion product species.
• Strong background in lab testing environments including installing, calibrating, and reading various forms of instrumentation for chemical species, pressure, temperature, flow, etc.
• Experience with Reactor Flow Networks (e.g. CANTERA or CHEMKIN) to exercise finite-rate chemistry models to complement experimentally-obtained data.
• Fluency in exercising combustion analysis models (equilibrium chemistry solvers).
• Experience in fluid/thermal systems design and optimization.
• Highly collaborative personality with a willingness to learn and adapt involving interaction with adjacent functions to solve complex issues.
• Ability to effectively and positively communicate verbally and in writing with customers (internal and external), to address their needs promptly and to follow through on commitments.
• A self-starter with good problem solving and good communication skills, excellent numeracy, and spatial awareness.
• Willingness to travel: Position may involve travel visiting engineering providers and hardware suppliers (10%).
• Experience in 3D CAD tools; preferably NX.
• Experience in CFD such as ANSYS Fluent or CFX.
• Competency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.