Lead Preliminary Cycle Design & Methods Engineer

Job Description Summary

In this role, you will be part of the Preliminary Cycle Design team, partnering closely with Commercial Engine Project and Engineering organizations to shape and launch GE's next generation of commercial propulsion systems. You will work across both novel and derivative engine architectures, helping to define concepts that drive performance, efficiency, and sustainability for future products.

The primary focus of this position is to develop, enhance, and maintain NPSS-based thermal cycle models for next generation engine concepts. You will collaborate with Preliminary Design and Methods teams to:

• Build and refine analytical NPSS thermal models for emerging engine architectures
• Diagnose and resolve model issues, ensuring robustness, stability, and fidelity
• Optimize model structure and code for speed, usability, and scalability
• Create and document modeling approaches that can be reused across programs

Beyond model development, you will also lead and support design space trade studies using these tools. You will:

• Explore and compare alternative engine cycles and configurations
• Quantify key performance, operability, and technology trade-offs
• Provide data-driven insights to guide GE strategic focus areas, shape customer requirements and proposal evaluation criteria, and influence technology investment priorities

This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys hands-on modeling, solving complex system-level problems, and translating analysis into strategic recommendations that directly impact the future of commercial aviation.

As a Lead Preliminary Design & Methods Engineer, you will play a key role in defining GE's next generation of commercial engine concepts. You will lead the development and improvement of advanced thermal cycle models, collaborate with cross-functional design and methods teams, and translate analysis results into clear recommendations that shape product architectures and technology roadmaps. In this role, you will combine deep technical modeling expertise with systems-level thinking to drive design trade studies, resolve complex model issues, and influence both customer proposals and GE's long-term technology investments.

Additionally, your responsibilities will include:

• Lead programs & projects working with internal & external customers to create propulsion solutions for the next generation of aircraft across a wide range of commercial products, including business, regional, narrow-body, and wide-body aircraft.
• Build, optimize & execute aero-thermal models of new concept & derivative engines, aligning input from component design teams to customer requirements.
• Partner with Preliminary Mechanical Design engineers to build multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO)
• Coordinate with a cross-functional team of adjacent disciplines (aero, mechanical, systems) to assess technology capability & maturity in support of business objectives.
• Communicate with leadership to help shape the future propulsion strategy.
• Execute the analysis and evaluation of assigned projects that meet business standards, practices and procedures, and the product or program requirements.
• Ensure proper documentation of models developed for the assigned projects and tasks consistent with engineering policies and procedures.
• Provide timely communications on significant issues or developments to program and engineering leadership.
• Participate in organizational efforts in assigned projects and tasks including establishment of processes and best practices.
• Participate as a presenter or reviewer in technical and program reviews across engine programs.
• Lead the GE Aviation cultural transformation coaching and mentoring, fostering inclusive environments, and driving a systematic approach to Lean.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited university
• Minimum 3-5 years of engineering experience, preferably in propulsion, performance, thermal systems, or related analytical domains
• At least 2 years of hands‑on coding experience in Python, C++, or another object‑oriented programming…