United States
Mobile Modular Portable Storage
Virgin Galactic
Tustin, California, United States
Virgin Galactic is seeking a highly experienced Aerothermal Specialist Engineer to join our multidisciplinary System Analysis organization. Guided by our values, “Safety Above All”, we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions. Serve as the SME for Aerothermal within the System Analysis team, owning technical depth in that domain while interfacing with adjacent disciplines across engineering. In this role, you will support aerothermal modeling, CFD based analysis, thermal design, flight test correlation, and system level integration across our suborbital SpaceShip, Launch Vehicle, and special mission programs. You will apply advanced CFD and thermal modeling techniques to characterize heating environments, develop thermal requirements, and integrate aerothermal performance across vehicle systems. This position offers the opportunity to work hands on in a dynamic test environment where high fidelity analysis, real world data, and technical judgment directly shape vehicle performance, safety, and operational capability. Maintain focus on timeliness and execution of tasks and deliverables every day. Why This Role Is Unique This role combines deep technical challenge with broad cross disciplinary influence. Serve as the SME for Aerothermal within the System Analysis team, owning technical depth in that domain while interfacing with adjacent disciplines across engineering. As part of a unified System Analysis team, you’ll work at the intersection of aerodynamics, thermal analysis, CFD modeling, and flight test—helping shape how these disciplines integrate across the full vehicle lifecycle. You will have direct impact on active flight test campaigns, heating environment predictions, and thermal architecture decisions, with opportunities to validate your models against real flight and ground test data. Beyond technical execution, this role offers leadership growth. You will guide analytical strategy, develop engineering standards and methods, mentor other engineers, and influence the future direction of aerothermal modeling as our fleet and capabilities expand. This is an ideal position for an experienced engineer who enjoys solving complex aerothermal challenges and wants meaningful influence on both near term vehicle performance and long term system design.
Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.
Export Requirements To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.
EEO Statement Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Drug Free Workplace Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.
Phoenix Employment Requirements For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.
Accommodation Requests If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a position, please contact the Virgin Galactic Talent Team at: VGTalent@virgingalactic.com Mandatory Notices Employee Polygraph Protection Act Rights E-Verify_Participation_Poster_Eng_Es Your Employee Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act
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