Senior Turbomachinery Engineer

1w1 week ago

Astro Mechanica

San Francisco, US · Full-time · $150,000 – $225,000

About this role

Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company building a faster, more connected future. Our mission is to democratize high-speed flight by making supersonic travel flexible, accessible, and sustainable. We seek a Senior Rotordynamics Engineer to refine turbomachinery development through deep understanding of rotating systems.

You will lead rotordynamic analysis including critical speed prediction, stability margins, and Campbell diagrams. Define bearing selection, preload, stiffness trades, and test campaigns for validation. Develop models in StarCCM+ and AxSTREAM while utilizing GasTurb and NPSS for dynamic interactions.

We’re a team of passionate engineers, generalists with specialist depth, united by a flat structure. We move fast, stay pragmatic, and let engineering excellence speak louder than hierarchy. Your analytical models will prove physical behavior on paper and at the test stand.

Partner with manufacturing for high-precision components considering balance grades and runout. Advance airframe and engine technologies like Duality™ propulsion. Contribute to adaptable, high-speed systems for government performance gaps.

Requirements

5+ years in turbomachinery design with demonstrated rotordynamic analysis and mechanical packaging ownership on real hardware
Hands-on experience with rotordynamic modelling tools (DyRoBes or equivalent)
Experience with blade and compressor geometry development using CFD, streamline curvature, and 1D meanline methods (StarCCM+, AxStream)
Experience with test instrumentation and data reduction specifically for mechanical validation (vibration, whirl, and rotor response)
Experience with propulsion cycle tools (GasTurb, NPSS) and how compressor mechanical behavior couples to cycle performance
Proficient in CAD for rotating assemblies (Siemens NX) and multiphysics analysis
Experience with scripting for analysis automation and post-processing (Python, MATLAB)
Effective communicator capable of leading cross-functional design reviews and contributing to system architecture discussions

Responsibilities

Lead rotordynamic analysis of turbomachinery systems, including critical speed prediction, stability margins, imbalance response, torsional analysis, modal analysis, and Campbell diagram development
Perform bearing selection, preload definition, stiffness and damping trade studies, thermal management and lubrication system
Define and execute test campaigns instrumented specifically for rotordynamic validation
Develop and iterate computational models (StarCCM+, AxSTREAM) with rotordynamic constraints in mind
Utilize propulsion cycle models (GasTurb, NPSS) to assess how compressor maps and mechanical behavior interact under dynamic loading conditions
Define GD&T for rotating assemblies through tolerance analysis, considering effects on rotor balance, seal clearances, and dynamic behavior
Partner with manufacturing to ensure production of high-precision rotating components with balance grades, runout tolerances, and assembly sequence in mind