About the Role
Aevum Zenth's Aerospace Division is pushing the boundaries of atmospheric flight. We are seeking a world-class Hypersonic Propulsion Design Engineer to join our elite R&D team in Munich. You will play a pivotal role in designing, simulating, and testing advanced scramjet engines and thermal management systems for our upcoming Mach 10+ vehicle programs.
This is not just an engineering role; it is an opportunity to contribute to technology that will redefine global logistics, defense capabilities, and commercial space access. You will collaborate with our AI division for real-time adaptive engine control and our Materials Science lab for extreme-environment composites.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the aerodynamic and thermodynamic analysis of hypersonic inlet designs, compression ramps, and combustor geometries using advanced CFD solvers.
- Develop multi-physics simulation models coupling fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, and real-gas chemistry for Mach 6–15 regimes.
- Design and optimize thermal protection systems (TPS) and active cooling channels to manage extreme heat fluxes exceeding 5 MW/m².
- Collaborate with experimental test teams to design wind tunnel campaigns and interpret data from shock tunnels and arc-heated facilities.
- Define material specifications for combustion chambers and nozzle extensions operating in extreme thermal environments.
- Partner with the Autonomous Systems team to integrate adaptive cycle control algorithms for variable flight conditions.
- Produce technical documentation, patent filings, and presentations for internal review boards and defense stakeholders.
Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics with a focus on high-speed aerodynamics or propulsion.
- 5+ years of industry or defense research experience in hypersonic vehicle design or scramjet development.
- Expert proficiency in CFD software (ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, or proprietary solvers) and finite element analysis tools.
- Strong understanding of real-gas effects, chemical kinetics, and boundary layer transitions in hypersonic flow.
- Experience with additive manufacturing processes for high-temperature propulsion components.
- Proven track record of publications, patents, or classified project contributions in hypersonic technologies.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a high-level security clearance (or equivalent defense clearance).
Preferred Skills
- Experience with AI/ML-assisted design optimization and digital twin development for propulsion systems.
- Familiarity with liquid-fueled and air-breathing hybrid propulsion cycles.
- Hands-on experience with plasma actuators or magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow control.
- Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or C++ for custom simulation tool development.