Remote | Aerodynamics Engineer — Up to $80/hour

We are sharing a specialised consulting opportunity for senior aerodynamics engineers with doctoral-level expertise and substantial hands-on industry experience in external aerodynamics, CFD, wind tunnel testing, propulsion, or vehicle aerodynamics.

This role supports an advanced AI research initiative focused on creating highly challenging engineering problems grounded in realistic aerodynamics scenarios. Selected professionals will author original free-response questions, develop complete expert-level solutions, and test each problem against frontier AI models to ensure it requires sophisticated technical reasoning.

Key Responsibilities

Aerodynamics Problem Development

• Author original, technically rigorous free-response aerodynamics problems
• Develop questions grounded in realistic professional and industrial scenarios
• Create problems requiring advanced multi-step reasoning rather than straightforward textbook recall
• Incorporate practical constraints, assumptions, aerodynamic trade-offs, and real-world engineering considerations
• Ensure questions accurately reflect professional aerodynamics workflows

Aerodynamic Analysis & Engineering

• Develop scenarios involving external aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and vehicle aerodynamic performance
• Apply advanced aerodynamic and thermofluid principles to complex technical problems
• Incorporate CFD, experimental testing, or analytical methods where appropriate
• Develop problems involving wind tunnel testing and interpretation of aerodynamic data
• Address propulsion-related aerodynamics where relevant to the required technical scope

Expert Solution Development

• Write complete expert-level solutions for each authored problem
• Clearly document calculations, assumptions, methodology, and engineering reasoning
• Explain aerodynamic phenomena and technical decisions with appropriate depth
• Ensure solutions are technically rigorous, internally consistent, and independently verifiable
• Provide clear reference answers suitable for evaluating advanced reasoning

AI Difficulty Validation

• Test authored problems against multiple frontier language models
• Evaluate whether current AI systems can correctly solve each problem
• Identify reasoning errors, incorrect assumptions, calculation failures, or incomplete technical approaches
• Refine problems where necessary to maintain an appropriately demanding level of difficulty
• Validate that each question meaningfully tests advanced aerodynamics expertise

Ideal Profile

Strong candidates may have:

• A PhD in Aerospace Engineering
• Alternatively, a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a strong specialisation in aerodynamics or thermofluids
• At least 5 years of hands-on professional or industry experience
• Substantial experience in external aerodynamics, CFD, wind tunnel testing, propulsion, or vehicle aerodynamics
• Strong command of advanced fluid mechanics and aerodynamic analysis
• Experience solving complex engineering problems in professional environments
• Ability to translate real industry challenges into structured technical questions
• Excellent analytical reasoning and technical writing skills

Educational Background

• A PhD in Aerospace Engineering or a closely aligned discipline is required
• A Mechanical Engineering PhD with substantial aerodynamics or thermofluids specialisation may also qualify
• Doctoral expertise should be complemented by significant hands-on professional or industry experience
• Strong practical exposure to aerodynamic design, analysis, simulation, or testing is particularly important

Nice to Have

• Experience within a major aerospace, automotive, aviation, defence, motorsport, or engineering organisation
• Advanced CFD experience
• Hands-on wind tunnel testing experience
• Background in vehicle aerodynamics or external flow analysis
• Relevant propulsion experience within the scope of aerodynamic engineering
• Experience developing or validating aerodynamic models against experimental data
• Prior experience authoring technical assessments, engineering problems, or training materials
• Familiarity with AI models or structured technical evaluation

Why This Opportunity

• Apply advanced aerodynamics expertise to challenging AI research
• Create original engineering problems based on realistic professional scenarios
• Combine industry experience with rigorous aerodynamic reasoning
• Work across CFD, external aerodynamics, wind tunnel testing, propulsion, and vehicle aerodynamics
• Help identify limitations in current frontier AI systems
• Participate in flexible remote consulting work with competitive compensation

Contract Details

• Independent contractor role
• Fully remote with flexible scheduling
• Compensation of up to $80 per hour depending on expertise and project scope
• Experience focused primarily on rocket or satellite propulsion, structural or aeroelastic FEM, or wind-load analysis for buildings may fall outside the technical scope of this project
• Work may include engineering problem authoring, expert solution development, technical validation, and AI model evaluation
• Weekly payments via Stripe or Wise
• Projects may be extended, shortened, or adjusted depending on scope and performance
• Work will not involve access to confidential or proprietary information from any employer, client, or institution

About the Platform

This opportunity is available through 24-MAG LLC. We connect experienced professionals with remote consulting opportunities across technical, evaluation, and project-based workstreams.

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