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Turbine Matching, Maps, Aerodynamics | Fixed-Term Contract
Elemeca is seeking a Turbomachinery Performance & Aerodynamic Design Engineer to support the design, aerodynamic definition and performance matching of turbomachinery.
This is a focused, fast-moving development environment. You will be expected to move from first principles and incomplete inputs to practical, traceable engineering decisions; use/build cycle and meanline definitions; generate and use component maps; identify risks early; and communicate clearly enough for the programme to move quickly.
We are looking for an engineer who can reduce a problem to first principles, use a hand calculation or simple model when that is enough, and deploy CFD, detailed simulation, or testing only when it will materially improve the decision - at pace.
What you will do
Build and maintain design-point and off-design cycle models, and own compressor and turbine work and flow matching across the operating range.
Carry out preliminary and detailed aerodynamic design of the compressor and turbine, from meanline and throughflow through to blade and passage geometry.
Generate, scale, correct and interpret compressor and turbine maps, including surge and choke limits, running lines, and surge margin bookkeeping.
Assess performance across start, idle, acceleration, design point and transient conditions.
Perform and interpret CFD of rotating and stationary components, and reconcile CFD against meanline predictions and map data.
Quantify leakage, secondary flow and size or scaling effects on efficiency and matching.
Develop practical validation and rig or engine test plans, including instrumentation and data reduction.
Communicate assumptions, risks, results and recommended design changes clearly.
Essential requirements
Right to work in the UK.
Minimum two years of professional experience in turbomachinery performance and/or aerodynamic design, in industry or an equivalent funded programme setting.
Sound overall understanding of the turbomachinery system as a whole, not only your own discipline, and how compressor, turbine, combustor, rotor, ducting and controls decisions affect each other.
Demonstrable delivery of compressor and/or turbine performance, aerodynamic design or development work.
Strong fundamentals in turbomachinery aerodynamics, thermodynamics, gas dynamics and loss mechanisms.
Practical experience of compressor and turbine matching.
Willingness to take on adjacent engineering tasks as the programme requires. This is a small agile team and the role will not stay neatly inside a single discipline boundary.
Able to work in a fast-paced development environment, take ownership of ambiguous problems, and deliver clear, decision-ready outputs.
Strong written and verbal communication, including explaining assumptions, uncertainty and trade-offs to a small multidisciplinary team.
Highly advantageous
Experience with GasTurb, CFTurbo, TurboDesign, Simerics, ANSYS Fluent or CFX, and OpenFOAM.
Generating performance maps from CFD, and reconciling them with meanline or test data.
Radial or mixed-flow compressors and radial or axial turbines.
Turbochargers and small gas turbines experience.
Experience with engine control options and how they interact with matching, for example fuel scheduling, acceleration limits, speed governing, start sequencing and surge avoidance.
Mechanical integration constraints such as rotor stress, blade natural frequencies, rotordynamics, or design for additive manufacture.
Type of engagement
Fixed-term contract: 3 - 6 months
Location and working arrangement: Cardiff (UK), Hybrid or Full Remote
Flexible to engagement type: fixed-term employment or consultancy via a personal service company, subject to role requirements, right-to-work checks, and employment-status / IR35 assessment where applicable.
To apply, please send your CV and a short note outlining turbomachinery projects you have personally delivered, including your role, tools used, and key outcomes, using the form below.
Do you have the right to work in the UK? (Tick for Yes)*
