Propulsion engineer - Thermal/fluid dynamics

Overview

By joining Alpha Impulsion as a propulsion engineer on thermal and fluid dynamics in the Naples office, you will play a key role in the development of propellant feed systems for multiple iterations of our autophage rocket engines.

Reporting to the Chief Scientific Officer, you will bring forward solutions to challenging thermal cases for AMBER (storable propellants demonstrator) and GARNET (full-scale cryogenic launcher). This includes trade studies of fluidic designs including cooling mechanisms and injection. You will then contribute to demonstrating the high performance of autophage propulsion, especially through testing.

Your first project here

Alpha Impulsion is developing a medium-scale research engine and propulsion test bench as part of a major contract with the Campania region. This activity will support the development of a game-changing cryogenic rocket engine able to disrupt the way launchers are built, reaching performance up to twice that of current propulsion technologies. You will embark on a new project, with the opportunity to build it from start to qualification and exploitation.

Your key responsibilities:  

As part of your missions, you will be entrusted with the following responsibilities: 

• Size and design regenerative cooling circuits for hybrid and cryogenic autophage rocket engines, handling complex fluids (including H2O2 and O2) close to their critical point .

• Develop engine cycle and thermal architectures from 0D/1D system-level performance models to full 3D conjugate heat transfer and CFD simulations, including choice of arms and workflow.

• Conduct system-level parametric trade studies to optimise the engine power cycle and loads, cooling channel geometry, and overall system performance from a 10kN prototype up to a mini-launcher engine.

• Implement advanced thermal protection strategies, including film cooling, distributed injection, and boundary layer management to mitigate extreme thermal loads.

• Define test configurations and instrumentation plans for subscale thermal and cooling breadboards, interpreting test data to anchor and recalibrate your numerical models.

• Collaborate closely with mechanical, manufacturing, and propulsion teams, also including the Toulouse office to integrate cooling channels into additive manufacturing workflows and engine hardware assemblies.

• Interface with the experts of a reference test provider like CIRA to qualify your configurations for testing and exploit test results to iterate.

What we would appreciate most

This position requires a strong focus on fluid thermodynamics and cooling solutions but also a concrete system-level awareness to drive architectural choices before diving in design.

Required education, experience and skills:  

• Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Thermal Engineering (Master or PhD) with a strong specialisation in thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer.

• Demonstrated experience in regenerative cooling on a test-proven engine .

• Deep expertise in complex fluid thermodynamics, specifically phase changes, boiling heat transfer, and near-critical/supercritical fluid behaviour.

• Proficiency in thermal/fluid modelling toolchains, ranging from 0D/1D internal flow system codes (e.g., Simcenter Amesim, EcoSim, Modelica, or custom scripts) to 3D CFD solvers (e.g., Simcenter STAR-CCM+, Ansys Fluent, OpenFOAM, etc.).

• Strong physical intuition for system-level fluid dynamics and stability, cooling failure modes, material compatibility with oxidizers and high-heat-flux hot-wall limits.

• Hands-on experience with film cooling design, porous media injection, swirl/distributed injection or other complex flows.

• Experience in test design and data reduction, matching experimental thermal measurements with simulation models.

• Thriving in a fast-paced hardware-centric environment, with an iterative mindset, strong technical autonomy, and a drive to scale technology from the lab to flight.

• Professional fluency in English (written and spoken).

Would be a plus:

• Test experience, especially with cryogens.

• Proficiency in Italian or French.

Compensation

Base salary negotiable based on experience. Additionally, competitive compensation package including meal vouchers and team performance bonus. Flexible remote work organisation.

If you thrive on challenge, take on a new one and join the crew.