Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability At Hypersonica, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast. By joining Hypersonica, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously. We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.
What you'll do
- Own the development of core components of our in‑house simulation framework for aerodynamic, aerothermal, and aerostructural modelling of hypersonic vehicles.
- Design, implement, and optimise numerical solvers and algorithms for fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and structural analysis.
- Develop coupling strategies between flow, thermal, and structural solvers to enable multi‑physics simulation.
- Build robust pre‑ and post‑processing tools, including meshing interfaces, data pipelines, and visualisation workflows.
- Improve performance and scalability through parallelisation (MPI, OpenMP, GPU) on workstations and high‑performance computing (HPC) clusters.
- Implement verification and validation (V&V) processes, including regression testing, benchmark cases, and comparison against test data.
- Establish good software engineering practice across the framework: version control, continuous integration (CI), code review, and documentation.
- Work closely with Aerodynamics, Thermal, and Structures engineers to turn analysis needs into reliable, usable tools.
- Support design teams in using the framework, giving them rapid simulation capability for fast‑moving design iterations.
Who you are
- A hands‑on Numerical or Scientific Software Developer with experience building simulation codes from the ground up.
- Degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science (or related discipline); a PhD or postgraduate research experience in computational methods is a plus.
- Strong programming skills in C++ and/or modern Fortran, with Python for scripting, tooling, and automation.
- Solid understanding of numerical methods such as finite volume, finite element, or finite difference, including discretisation schemes, solvers, and stability.
- Experience with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), heat transfer, or structural codes, whether in‑house or open source (e.g. OpenFOAM, SU2).
- Experience with parallel computing and performance optimisation in Linux/HPC environments.
- Comfortable working autonomously in fast‑moving, prototype‑heavy environments, with a focus on code quality, correctness, and maintainability.
What we offer
- A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.
- Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.
- High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.
- A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.
- A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.
- Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy. At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply. Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential. You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.