Senior Computational Engineer
About The Role
Own the CFD-based performance validation process for optimized marine system designs, including geometry preparation, meshing, solver setup, execution, debugging, post-processing, visualization, and reporting.
Use Helyx, OpenFOAM, and/or Star-CCM+ to evaluate optimized geometries and operating conditions generated by fast-running time-domain simulation, Boundary Element Method (BEM), and fleet deployment tools.
Develop, maintain, and continuously improve CFD validation workflows and automation pipelines with support from other engineers and software developers.
Improve robustness, accuracy, and reliability of advanced CFD workflows across complex marine operating conditions, including meshing, solver setup, turbulence modeling, boundary conditions, and post-processing workflows.
Evaluate power, propulsion, hydrodynamic loading, device performance, and other key metrics using high-fidelity simulation data.
Compare CFD results against reduced-order models, BEM tools, time-domain device simulations, experimental data, sea-trial measurements, and metocean observations.
Refine and extend internal validation standards to ensure CFD results are accurate, converged, and physically meaningful for design and operational decision-making.
Develop clear visualizations, dashboards, plots, technical memos, and presentations that communicate simulation results, limitations, uncertainties, and recommended actions.
Collaborate closely with optimization, controls, mechanical engineering, metocean data, fleet simulation, and experimental teams to close the loop between predicted and measured performance.
Contribute to verification and validation of CFD methods using canonical cases, experimental data, sea-trial data, and internal benchmark problems.
Run simulation workflows on on-premises and cloud-based HPC systems.
Increase automation, reduce manual handoffs, document best practices, and develop reusable simulation templates.
Use modern software and AI-assisted engineering tools to accelerate coding, analysis, documentation, and simulation workflow development while maintaining strong technical judgment and verification discipline.
Requirements
Legal authorization to work in the United States.
Bachelor’s degree in Ocean Engineering, Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a similar field.
Strong foundation in fluid mechanics, marine hydrodynamics, rigid body dynamics, and physics-based modeling.
Significant experience running end-to-end CFD simulations for real engineering systems.
Experience using at least one major RANS-based CFD tool such as Helyx, OpenFOAM, or Star-CCM+.
Ability to diagnose and resolve CFD issues involving meshing, boundary conditions, convergence, numerical stability, turbulence modeling, and post-processing.
Strong understanding of verification and validation principles, including grid convergence, sensitivity studies, uncertainty, and comparison against experimental or field data.
Working knowledge of Linux environments, scripting workflows, and HPC-based simulation execution.
Ability to use first-principles reasoning to determine when simulation results are physically meaningful and when they require further investigation.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical results and limitations to multidisciplinary teams.
Demonstrated ability to independently own and drive complex technical projects to completion.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s or PhD in Ocean Engineering, Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a similar field.
5+ years of industry or research experience in CFD, marine hydrodynamics, naval architecture, offshore engineering, turbomachinery, propulsion, or related fields.
Experience with marine CFD, offshore systems, free-surface flows, multiphase flows, fluid-structure interaction, propulsion, wave-structure interaction, or complex metocean environments.
Experience using multiple CFD tools, especially Helyx, OpenFOAM and Star-CCM+.
Experience developing or modifying OpenFOAM, Helyx, or other CFD solver capabilities.
Experience building CFD automation pipelines, including CAD-to-mesh-to-solve-to-post-processing workflows.
Experience with Python, C++, Julia, Java, Bash, or other programming languages used in engineering simulation workflows.
Experience comparing simulations to sea-trial data, wave basin data, tow tank data, or other physical test data.
Experience working with metocean data, reanalysis datasets, wave spectra, current profiles, wind data, or measured ocean data.
Experience with CAD-to-CFD workflows using tools such as NX, SolidWorks, Rhino, or similar.
Experience developing dashboards, automated reports, or visualization tools for simulation results.
Experience in startup environments or fast-paced R&D teams; comfortable with ambiguity, proactive in shaping work, and adaptable to change.
A record of mentorship, technical documentation, internal training, or leadership in simulation communities.