ENGINEER - RESEARCH ENGINEER - Machinery Instrumentation and Data Acquisition

Who We Are:

The Aero Thermal Modeling and Testing subsection is focused on aerodynamic, heat transfer, thermal-fluid, and technoeconomic analyses together with the development of demonstration testing facilities for advanced power systems, long duration energy storage applications, and industrial decarbonization technologies.

Objectives of this Role:

• Design and implement instrumentation strategies for tests to ensure that the team can accurately measure machine performance and adequately monitor safety and health of the machine.
• Enable our team to incorporate advanced closed-loop control and monitoring strategies into test facilities for machinery systems from the kilowatt to the megawatt scale.
• Develop and maintain quality documentation for facility operation including P&IDs, operating procedures, and similar in a constantly changing test environment.
• Apply knowledge of thermodynamics and mechanical design to test facility design contributing to research in advanced power generation, energy storage, and industrial decarbonization.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Develop measurement and control solutions with creative problem solving to support first-of-a-kind machinery systems including compressors, turbines, heat exchangers, and various subsystems in a collaborative environment.
• Understand a wide array of measurement instruments including pressure transducers, eddy current probes, thermocouples, and flow devices and specialty methods including gas chromatography, lasers, cameras, and more.
• Use LabVIEW to develop data acquisition and control modules and user interfaces.
• Analyze test data, including quality integrity and uncertainty analysis, for a wide array of machinery performance characteristics.
• Disseminate data and results in writing and oral presentation to clients, at conferences, and in other professional settings.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors, Masters or a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Electrical Engineering.
• 0-2 years: Understanding of data acquisition, LabVIEW, PLCs, instrumentation and sensors.
• Coursework or experience in developing model and control algorithms for thermal fluid piping systems or rotating equipment preferred.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements:

Must be a U.S. person (i.e., U.S. citizen, non-U.S. citizen national, lawful permanent resident, asylee, or refugee) due to ITAR work in section.

Job Locations: San Antonio, Texas

For more information about this division, visit the Mechanical Engineering home page.

For benefits information at our San Antonio location, click here.

For benefits information at all other locations, click here.

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.