Research Aerospace Engineer

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UDRI seeks qualified applicants for a Research Aerospace Engineer position in the Air Vehicle Optimization Group of the Structures & Materials Division. The role is full‑time, benefit‑eligible, and offers health, dental, vision insurance, retirement, disability, tuition assistance, vacation/sick accrual, and holiday pay.

The Air Vehicle Optimization Group collaborates closely with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop, prototype, and test numerical models, software, and hardware for the multidisciplinary design and analysis of aerospace vehicles. The group brings together specialties in Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics to combine state‑of‑the‑art engineering tools with innovative ideas supporting future aircraft design from conceptual design through flight testing.

Current projects include Computational Aircraft Prototype Synthesis (CAPS), Missile Enhancement via Reconfigurable Interceptor Nose, Efficient Supersonic Aircraft Vehicle, X‑56, XQ‑58, Effectiveness Assessment of Concepts and Technologies, and Sensitivity Analysis for Multidisciplinary Systems.

The successful candidate will assist ongoing research and development contracts at Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, providing support for airframe propulsion and power system integration.

Research Aerospace Engineers apply fundamental engineering principles to design, develop, document, maintain, and deploy software infrastructure and engineering analyses in support of aerospace engineering research.

• A Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution.
• Basic experience with Python, MATLAB, C++, ANSYS, Solid Works, or similar programming languages.
• Knowledge of aircraft design and performance analysis.
• Knowledge of propulsion systems.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

Bachelor’s degree with no previous work experience.

Bachelor’s degree with three years of previous work experience, or a Master’s degree with two years of previous work experience.

• Master’s or equivalent degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, C++, Simulink, CSDL, ANSYS, Solid Works, or similar programming languages.
• Proficiency in aircraft design and performance analysis.
• Familiarity with multidisciplinary analysis and optimization including sensitivity analysis.
• Familiarity with finite element methods applied to structures.
• Experience with CFD tools.
• Experience with aeroelastic analysis.
• Experience with aeroservoelastic design optimization and gradient‑based aircraft trajectory optimization framework.
• Experience with simulating flight dynamics.
• Experience with NASTRAN/ABAQUS or similar finite element modeling tools.
• Research experience.

To apply, submit a cover letter addressing each minimum qualification and any applicable preferred qualifications that you meet.

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the dignity of every human being. In pursuit of this commitment, we seek to increase diversity in all its forms, achieve fair outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. The University is committed to policies of affirmative action designed to increase employment opportunities of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1973.

Location:

Dayton, OH.