Research Engineer

Company Info
University of Dayton Research Institute
Dayton, OH, United States

Phone: 9372292779
Web Site: https://udayton.edu/

Company Profile
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Title:

Research Engineer

Location:

Dayton, OH 

Job ID:

69387
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Job Description:

The Air Vehicle Optimization Group at UDRI is a diverse team of skilled engineers and scientists who work closely with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop, prototype, and test numerical models, software, and hardware for the multidisciplinary design and analysis of aerospace vehicles. The group brings together specialties in Aerospace, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics to combine state-of-the-art engineering tools with innovative ideas to support future aircraft design methods from conceptual design through flight testing. A few of the projects the group currently supports include: Computational Aircraft Prototype Synthesis (CAPS), Missile Enhancement via ReconfigurabLe Interceptor Nose (MERLIN), Efficient Supersonic Aircraft Vehicle (ESAV), X-56, and XQ-58A.

The Research Engineer will work closely with a group of PhD level experts in computational structural mechanics and fluid dynamics, smart materials and structures, and topology optimization. AFRL is in the process of developing missile technology with benefits to multiple missile performance metrics. In the course of advancing the technology; the design, fabrication, and testing of benchtop level hardware are planned. These tests will demonstrate the feasibility of this concept as well as collecting data to quantify the benefits achieved. For this purpose, the team is seeking a full time design and testing engineer to lead or assist in the design, prototyping, fabrication and manufacturing of hardware as well as data analysis and performance characterization post-test.

The ideal candidate will have either an MS with a couple years of experience or PhD in a related engineering field. Below is a broad list of desired skill sets, candidates not currently possessing all skill sets are still encouraged to apply.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor's or equivalent in an engineering discipline, or related field.
• A minimum of 3 years of directly related experience in engineering research with PhD work counted as ½ time up to 2 years.
• Successful experience in one or more of the following:
o Experimental Investigation
o Mechatronics
o Robotic Hardware
o Morphing aerospace structures design
o Actuator or mechanism concepts for developing active materials, compliant joints, or other bio inspired structures
o Scaling laws based on size, weight, wing loading, actuator force output, and other metrics
• Strong technical writing, English verbal, organization, and presentation skills
• Ability to interact effectively with other engineers, technicians, and management as well as with current and potential customers.
• Due to the security requirements of this position, the successful candidate must be a US Citizen and able to pass a National Agency Check.

The position is funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for work to be completed on-site at the Aerospace Systems Directorate (RQ) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Funding is available for 1 full time employee for at minimum 2 years. US citizenship is required. Dates are flexible. The ability to obtain a T3 Classified security clearance is desired by not required. The successful applicant will be required to pass a National Agency Check (background check).


Preferred Qualifications

While not everyone may possess all of the preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

- Early (conceptual) design and prototyping (3D printing, 1st order engineering performance analysis, etc.)
- Detailed design (material finish specifications, verifying factors of safety w/ FEA, tolerance stack up, fastener placements and torque specifications, instrumentation, wiring, etc.)
- Test article fabrication (part drawings, tolerance specifications, supplier identification, bill of materials tracking, etc.)
- Hardware and experimental testing (assembly, test control, digital image correlation, strain gauges, thermocouples, IR cameras, load sensors, LVDTs, data acquisition (cDAQ, etc.))
- Data analysis (statistical analysis, data reduction techniques, ability to process experimental data and clearly present results)
- Anticipated software: Solidworks, ABAQUS, Matlab, LabView, Arduino, DIC)


Special Instructions to Applicants

A federal court on December 7, 2021, issued a ruling that suspends the COVID-19 vaccine requirement that applies to federal contractors nationwide. With this development, the University will pause any enforcement action against employees who have not complied with the requirement to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, 2021 or to have requested an exemption to maintain their employment status.

The University will continue to monitor the state of the pandemic on campus and in the community as well as developments in federal and state requirements, and also will continue to regularly consult with public health officials and our medical panel. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, our protocols and requirements are subject to change depending on conditions on campus or in our community, and government requirements.

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity, achieve equitable outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, we will not discriminate against minorities, females, protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, or on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.