{"id":1982746,"url":"https://alion.io/job/zone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2","title":"Lead CFD Engineer - Weapon Performance","company":{"id":684780,"name":"Zone 5 Technologies","domain":"zone5technologies.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/zone5technologies","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":93,"open_postings":63,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.095,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":114,"computed_at":"2026-10-10T05:45:15Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Fort Worth, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":149000,"max":182000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":182000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Git","optional":false},{"name":"HPC","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-06T22:33:03Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-09","last_verified_at":"2026-10-11T04:17:05Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":4,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":[],"days_open":3},"description":"At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.\nWe're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.\nWe are seeking an experienced CFD Lead to join our Weapons Performance team. In this role, you will lead computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to characterize the aerodynamic and ballistic performance of Zone 5's air-launched effects, tactical interceptors, and next-generation munitions - from early concept and trade studies through wind tunnel and flight test correlation to fielded performance. \nWe're looking for a technical leader with an entrepreneurial mindset: someone who takes personal responsibility for the success of the systems they help build, has a bias toward action, and treats program performance as a personal stake. You will work within your organization to help set technical direction for CFD, mentor other aerodynamicists using CFD, and partner closely with Propulsion, GNC, Design, Analysis, Systems Engineering, and Flight Test to ensure our systems perform reliably under demanding launch, flight, and terminal conditions. \nResponsibilities: \nLead high-fidelity CFD analysis (RANS, URANS, and DES where required) across speed regimes typical to the defense industry to characterize aerodynamic performance - drag, lift, moment coefficients, and stability derivatives - for missiles, interceptors, and other types of hardware. \nWork with the Weapons Performance team to establish shared analysis standards and document the procedures and processes used for CFD-based aerodynamic database development, improving turnaround time and ensuring data consistency for use in GNC flight control law development, trajectory simulation, and mission performance analysis. \nParticipate in program-level resource allocation, timeline, and deliverable estimates. \nValidate CFD models against wind tunnel and flight test data and help lead root-cause investigation of discrepancies between simulation and test. \nDevelop mesh generation and grid convergence techniques and studies for complex, high-speed vehicle geometries. \nCollaborate with Design, Propulsion, GNC, Analysis, and Systems Engineering to integrate aerodynamic performance data into vehicle-level design, sizing, and performance models. \nPresent technical findings, aerodynamic performance data, and CFD methodology at design reviews (PDR, CDR) and internal engineering discussions. \nMentor and provide technical guidance to other aerodynamics and CFD engineers and review their analysis approaches and results. \nDevelop and lead automated workflows and scripts for batch HPC job generation, post-processing, and data reduction, streamlining deliverables for Aerodynamics, GNC, and Systems Engineering teams. \nPerform lightweight HPC administrative responsibilities such as tracking compute usage and software licensing and assisting the team with HPC environment usage. \nQualifications: \nBachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field required; Master's degree typical for candidates at this level, though exceptional applied experience can substitute. \n 8+ years of experience performing and leading CFD analysis in an applied, product-centric, program-driven environment, leading the technical approach across multiple full vehicle programs - from conceptual design through wind tunnel, flight test, and production. \nProficiency with CFD solvers commonly used in aerospace/defense aerodynamics (e.g., CFD++, OVERFLOW, FUN3D, STAR-CCM+, or ANSYS Fluent) for compressible, high-speed flow, along with meshing and grid-generation tools such as Pointwise, ANSA, and Chimera Grid Tools, and overset grid assembly for complex multi-body geometries. \nProficiency with CFD/FEA post-processing and visualization tools such as ParaView, FieldView, and ANSYS Workbench for data reduction, visualization, and correlation of results across disciplines. \nExperience characterizing aerodynamic performance of missiles, munitions, rockets, or other high-speed vehicles, including store separation and base drag effects. \nExperience validating and correlating CFD results against wind tunnel or flight test data \nHands-on experience working alongside real flight hardware - wind tunnel models, instrumented test articles, or flight test vehicles - rather than working from simulation data alone. \nExperience making or directly informing safety-critical engineering decisions, with the judgment and integrity to discern credible simulation results from questionable ones. \nExperience where your CFD analysis directly informed a design decision, program milestone, or fielded outcome, not just standalone technical results. \nExperience building and maintaining CFD validation libraries - reference cases and benchmark comparisons used to check new analysis against established, trusted results. \nExperience working with a team to establish and document CFD analysis standards, procedures, and workflows - helping make methods repeatable and consistent across a group, not just performing analysis yourself. \nProgramming or scripting proficiency (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for CFD automation, post-processing, and data reduction. \nWorking knowledge of Linux system administration and HPC cluster environments (e.g., job scheduling, resource allocation, environment/module management) sufficient to run and troubleshoot CFD workloads independently, down to the interconnect if need be. \nStrong experience with version control (e.g., Git, SVN) for CFD codebases and the batch/automation scripts that run them. \nExperience generating aerodynamic coefficient databases for use in 6-DOF trajectory or flight simulation. \nStrong written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting technical results at design reviews and supporting proposal/capture efforts. \nAbility to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret security clearance; must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR regulations. \nLevel IV: $149K - $182K\nLevel V: $182K - $220K\nPay range for this role\n$149,000—$220,000 USD\nWhat's in it for you:\nBenefits: \nCompetitive total compensation package \nComprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.\n401k with company-match \n3 weeks of paid time off each year\n40 hours of sick time\n12 annual company holidays\nWhy Join Zone 5 Technologies?\nInnovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.\nCollaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.\nCareer Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.\nIf you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and join the Zone 5 Technologies team! \nIn compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. \nZone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov.","description_format":"text","description_chars":7750,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Professional development"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Drones & UAVs","Defense Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-07T00:34:58Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":95,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.946,"p_room":1,"age_days":3,"expected_fill_days":114,"reasons":["conf:2","wave","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-10T05:45:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":182000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/zone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/zone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-11T04:18:51Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":2883,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":2117,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-12T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":684780},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=684780"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fzone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fzone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fzone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/zone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fzone-5-technologies-lead-cfd-engineer-2"}]}