Thesis Worker - Computational characterization of a re-entry vehicle aerodynamics

Thesis Worker - Computational characterization of a re-entry vehicle aerodynamics

🚀 Challenge the Impossible

About Beyond Gravity

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Beyond Gravity is not your typical space company. We're a unique blend of agility, speed, and innovation, fusing a start-up mindset with decades of industry expertise and a track record of 100% mission success. Our dynamic team of over 1700 professionals, spread across 13 locations in six countries, is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what is technically feasible. We're not just building crucial products for the satellites and launchers industry, we’re helping to improve life on earth.

Your Crew:

By joining the Launchers Innovation team and our multidisciplinary engineers, you’ll contribute to the development of technologies for launcher structures in a multicultural environment. Our collaborative and lean organization encourages creativity and professional development, supported by highly skilled experts. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to work on your Master’s Thesis, pushing your limits and discovering something new each day, as each day brings unique chances to go Beyond.

Your Mission:

Re-entry represents one of the most technically demanding phases of any space mission as during this stage, a spacecraft must transition from the vacuum of space into the dense layers of Earth’s atmosphere while traveling at hypersonic velocities. The complexity arises from the intricate interplay between fluid dynamics, thermal loads, structural integrity, and strict safety requirements.

A key aspect of the design process is the development of computational routines capable of analyzing shock wave formation, thermal flux distribution, and pressure fields to gain insight into the complex physical phenomena involved.

This thesis will primarily focus on the development of a CFD-based approach to address the re-entry problem for a reusable rocket upper stage, aiming to capture the key flow features and thermal loads experienced by re-entry vehicles through high-fidelity numerical simulations.

To achieve the target state, the following steps are foreseen:

• Develop a working knowledge of the main physical phenomenon that arises during re-entry
• Understand the capabilities of the various computational methods and their limitations (DSMC, Navier-Stokes, Panel methods, …)
• Develop a modelling approach and present it
• Keep detailed notes about the development of the methodology
• Develop a routine using open-source tools (such as SU2, OpenFOAM, SPARTA, etc) for the re-entry flow simulation

Your Story:

• Currently enrolled in a Master in Mechanical-,or Aerospace Engineering
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English
• Engineering and scientific curiosity, proactive attitude
• Strong focus on fluid dynamics and CFD
• Familiar with simulation with open-source tools and Python scripting
• Good independence, team-working abilities and communication skills

🌌Are you ready for lift-off?

Our core values - Passionate, Together, and Curious - transform challenges into opportunities. Embark on a journey to transcend the ordinary with us. Propel your career to new heights by applying before 05/01/2026. We‘re actively reviewing candidates and will promptly select the ideal fit for our team.

For questions regarding the position, please contact: Evaristo Odinolfi | E-Mail schreiben or Marco Ravasi | E-Mail schreiben

For questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact: Cassandra Gyamfi | E-Mail schreiben

Beyond Gravity is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected categories.

Applications by e-mail cannot be considered. We do not accept dossiers from recruitment agencies for this position.

Zürich Flughafen, ZH, CH