Aerodynamics Engineer

• CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with a multi-product portfolio that gives the ultimate advantage—domain dominance. The company's products are powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN™), empowering warfighters, commercial air operators
• border protection teams to act faster, adapt rapidly
• stay ahead of evolving threats.
• CHAOS Industries was founded in 2022 and has raised a total of $1 billion in funding from leading investors, including 8VC, Accel
• Valor Equity Partners. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle
• London. For more information, please visit www.chaosinc.com .
• Role Overview:
• CHAOS is seeking an Aerodynamics Engineer to lead the aerodynamic design, analysis
• flight performance optimization of fixed-wing unmanned aircraft systems and missile-class vehicles. This role will be responsible for developing aerodynamic models, performing high-fidelity CFD analysis, supporting flight test campaigns
• driving vehicle design decisions from concept through operational deployment.
• You will work closely with guidance, navigation & control (GNC), propulsion, structures, manufacturing
• flight test teams to create highly maneuverable, efficient
• producible air vehicles capable of operating in demanding mission environments

Responsibilities

• Lead aerodynamic design and analysis of interceptors and long-endurance uncrewed vehicles.
• Develop aerodynamic databases and models for use in 6-DOF simulation, GNC development, and mission analysis.
• Perform CFD analyses across subsonic, transonic, and supersonic regimes.
• Conduct trade studies evaluating wing planforms, control surfaces, airfoil selection, vehicle sizing, and stability characteristics.
• Analyze static and dynamic stability, control effectiveness, trim conditions, and maneuver performance.
• Evaluate aerodynamic interactions between airframe, propulsion systems, and payloads.
• Develop reduced-order aerodynamic models from CFD and test data.
• Support wind tunnel testing, captive-carry testing, and flight test activities.
• Correlate CFD, wind tunnel, and flight test results to improve model fidelity and vehicle performance predictions.
• Partner with GNC engineers to characterize vehicle dynamics and improve closed-loop performance.
• Minimum Requirements:
• BS, MS, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in aerodynamic design and analysis of fixed-wing aircraft, missiles, guided munitions, or unmanned aerial systems.
• Strong understanding of compressible and incompressible aerodynamics, flight mechanics, stability and control, and aircraft/missile performance.
• Experience with Missile DATCOM or similar first order solvers
• Experience with CFD tools such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, or equivalent.
• Experience generating aerodynamic coefficients and force/moment databases.
• Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering analysis tools.
• Preferred Requirements:
• MS or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or similar discipline
• Experience with missile, interceptor, or high-performance UAS development programs.
• Experience developing aerodynamic models for 6-DOF simulations.
• Experience with high speed vehicles
• Experience supporting wind tunnel campaigns and flight test programs.
• Active U.S. Security Clearance or ability to obtain one.
• Why CHAOS?
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
• Additional benefits : 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay), FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more
• Our Perks: Free daily lunch, ‘No meeting Fridays’, unlimited PTO, casual dress code
• Compensation Components: Competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and (coming soon!) annual bonuses
• Team Growth: 250 employees and counting across 5 global offices
• The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base compensation range and excludes additional earnings such as bonus, equity
• benefits. If your compensation requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply. The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations.
• Recruiting Agencies: CHAOS Industries does not accept unsolicited resumes or outreach. Unsolicited submissions will not be reviewed or compensated.
• #LI-onsite