Why this role exists
At AIRLIFT One, aerodynamics and acoustics are not separate disciplines — every flow decision is a noise decision. We are building an aircraft whose acoustic signature is roughly 4× lower than conventional eVTOLs, and that margin is won or lost in the details of unsteady flow around our novel lift and propulsion architecture. This role exists because we need an aerodynamicist who treats sound as a first-order design constraint, not a downstream check, and who can carry a configuration trade from CFD through the wind tunnel to flight data.
What you'll own
- Own aerodynamic design and analysis of vehicle-level configurations, trading lift-system efficiency directly against acoustic source strength across all phases of flight.
- Build and run high-fidelity CFD campaigns — steady RANS for performance maps, unsteady and scale-resolving simulations where acoustic source prediction demands it — with documented mesh and turbulence-model sensitivity studies.
- Couple aerodynamic predictions to acoustic propagation models, working with the Acoustics team to trace far-field noise back to specific unsteady flow mechanisms on the vehicle.
- Plan and execute wind tunnel test campaigns end to end: model definition, instrumentation plans, test matrices, on-site execution, and post-test correlation against CFD predictions.
- Develop and maintain the vehicle aerodynamic database — polars, control derivatives, and interactional effects — feeding flight dynamics, performance, and loads analyses.
- Correlate predictions against flight test data, drive down model uncertainty, and publish updated aero models with quantified validation status.
- Present design trades and analysis results at internal design reviews, defending recommendations with data when performance and noise pull in opposite directions.
- Define aerodynamic requirements and acceptance criteria for vehicle hardware, and review geometry releases for compliance with the validated aero lines.
What you bring
- B.Sc. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering; M.Sc. or Ph.D. with a focus on aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, or aeroacoustics strongly preferred.
- 5+ years of hands-on aerodynamic analysis and design experience on aircraft, rotorcraft, UAS, or wind energy systems.
- Demonstrated depth in CFD for unsteady, separated, and interactional flows — including solver setup, meshing strategy, and turbulence modeling judgment — using tools such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, or OpenFOAM.
- Working knowledge of aeroacoustic prediction methods (e.g., Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings integration, broadband source modeling) or proven ability to ramp quickly on them.
- Experience planning or executing experimental aerodynamics campaigns — wind tunnel or flight test — including instrumentation selection and data reduction.
- Strong scripting skills in Python or MATLAB for automation of simulation workflows, post-processing, and aero database generation.
- Solid command of low-speed aerodynamic fundamentals: lifting-line and panel methods, boundary layer behavior, stall and separation physics, and propulsor–airframe interaction.
- Ability to write clear technical reports and defend analysis assumptions in front of senior engineers; full professional proficiency in English.
Even better if
- Prior eVTOL, UAM, or rotorcraft experience, especially with hover-to-cruise transition aerodynamics.
- Exposure to civil certification processes (EASA SC-VTOL, FAA Part 23/27 practices, or ARP4754A-structured development).
- Peer-reviewed publications or conference papers in aeroacoustics, rotor aerodynamics, or unsteady CFD (AIAA, VFS, or equivalent).
- Experience running large CFD workloads on HPC clusters, including job orchestration and cost-aware fidelity selection.
- Track record at an early-stage hardware company — comfortable making defensible decisions with incomplete data on aggressive timelines.
Why this matters to quiet flight
Urban aviation has failed before — not for lack of lift, but because cities refused the noise. The aerodynamic choices you make set the acoustic floor of this vehicle before any treatment or operational mitigation can help. If your flow solutions are quiet, AIRLIFT One flies over neighborhoods that would ground anyone else; if they are not, no amount of downstream engineering buys that back.
Life at AIRLIFT One
Small team, total ownership
No layers between you and the aircraft. You own your domain end-to-end — analysis, hardware, test — and your decisions fly.
Aviation breathing culture
Work alongside aviation geeks—engineers, innovators, and builders who are passionate about shaping the future of flight.
Stealth, not isolation
We don't publish yet, but we argue, test, and review relentlessly inside. Intellectual honesty is a daily practice, not a poster.
Built in Rehovot
We work on-site, around the hardware, in one of Israel's deepest engineering talent pools.
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