Advanced Combustion test Engineer

Overview

Powertech is a center of excellence for propulsion technologies, specializing in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of combustion engines, expendable turbojet engines, and turbofan engines for a wide range of aerospace, defence, and autonomous applications, including fixed- and rotary-wing UAVs and other advanced platforms.

Position Overview
Powertech’s Technology Development Team is seeking an Advanced Combustion Test Engineer I to support the development of next-generation propulsion systems for military applications. This role focuses on low- to high-speed combustion aerodynamics, combining experimental testing and high-fidelity numerical simulation across low to mid Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 1–7).

The successful candidate will play a critical role in advancing early-stage concepts through integrated testing, analysis, and modeling, supporting the maturation of innovative propulsion technologies.

• Design, execute, and analyze combustion and high-speed flow experiments, including low-speed and high-speed regimes
• Conduct advanced CFD simulations for reacting and non-reacting flows, including complex combustion aerodynamics
• Develop and validate numerical models using experimental data
• Support propulsion system development activities from TRL 1 (basic research) through TRL 7 (system prototype demonstration)
• Plan and perform experimental campaigns involving high-speed and compressible flows
• Analyze large datasets from simulations and experiments and generate technical reports and presentations
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including propulsion, aerodynamics, materials, and systems engineering
• Support proposal development, technical reviews, and internal technology roadmaps as needed
• Ensure compliance with safety, security, and quality standards associated with military research programs

• PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, with a focus on combustion, propulsion, or fluid dynamics
• 2–5 years of post-graduate experience in combustion research, propulsion development, or high-speed aerodynamics
• Strong experience with complex CFD calculations, including reacting flows and turbulence modeling
• Hands-on experience conducting combustion and high-speed flow experiments
• Solid understanding of low-speed and high-speed combustion aerodynamics
• Proficiency with commercial and/or in-house CFD tools and post-processing techniques
• Ability to work effectively in a research-driven, fast-paced development environment

• Experience with propulsion systems for defense or military applications
• Familiarity with experimental diagnostics (e.g., pressure, temperature, optical diagnostics)
• Experience working in low-TRL technology development environments
• Strong technical writing and presentation skills