Hill Helicopters
Hill Helicopters
Hill Helicopters
Hill Helicopters

CFD Engineer – Helicopter & Gas Turbine Systems

Job No: HLH27
Location: Stafford

About the Role:

We are looking for a highly capable CFD Engineer to join our advanced simulation team, working within a fast-paced, commercially successful civil helicopter programme. This role sits within a leading UK-based helicopter and gas turbine OEM, supporting the aerodynamic and thermal optimisation of airframe and propulsion systems.

You will apply CFD tools—particularly ANSYS CFX and ANSYS Fluent—to influence design decisions for gas turbine components, as well as helicopter aerofoils, wings, rotors, and associated systems. The role involves working in a high-performance computing (HPC) environment, contributing across early design, validation, and optimisation phases.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Perform CFD simulations using ANSYS CFX and Fluent to support the aerodynamic and thermal design of:
    • Gas turbine components (e.g. compressors, turbines, combustors, ducts).
    • External aerodynamics (e.g. rotor-fuselage interaction, intakes, exhausts).
    • 2D aerofoils, 3D wings, and full rotor systems in hover and forward flight conditions.
    • Cooling and environmental control systems.
  • Generate high-quality structured and unstructured meshes for complex geometries using ANSYS Meshing, ICEM CFD, or equivalent tools.
  • Run large-scale simulations on HPC clusters, manage parallel jobs efficiently, and optimise compute resources.
  • Post-process simulation results using CFD-Post, Tecplot, ParaView, or custom scripting tools.
  • Collaborate with aerodynamicists, propulsion engineers, mechanical designers, and flight test teams to feed CFD insights into system development and validation.
  • Support design reviews, trade studies, and correlation with test data.
  • Contribute to automation of CFD workflows and development of internal CFD capability.

Requirements:

Essential:

  • Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with strong fluid dynamics and thermodynamics content.
  • Hands-on experience with ANSYS CFX and/or ANSYS Fluent for both internal and external flow simulations.
  • Proficiency with HPC job management, batch scripting, and parallel computing environments.
  • Strong mesh generation skills for 2D and 3D geometries.
  • Practical experience interpreting CFD results and communicating design recommendations.
  • Scripting knowledge (e.g. Python, MATLAB) for workflow automation and post-processing.

Desirable:

  • Demonstrated experience with 2D aerofoil analysis and 3D wing/rotor CFD simulations.
  • Understanding of unsteady aerodynamics and rotor wake modelling in a rotorcraft context.
  • Experience with helicopter or turboshaft engine programmes.
  • Exposure to combustion, thermal systems, or secondary air systems.
  • Familiarity with design of experiments (DOE), optimisation, or surrogate modelling.

What We Offer:

  • A central role in a thriving civil rotorcraft development programme.
  • Opportunities to influence the design of next-generation helicopters and gas turbines.
  • Access to cutting-edge CFD tools and dedicated HPC infrastructure.
  • A supportive, innovative engineering culture with strong career development pathways.
  • Competitive salary and benefits
Apply Now

Privacy Acknowledgment

Recruitment Privacy Notice

Hill Helicopters is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information.   This privacy notice describes how we collect and use personal information about you during the recruitment process.

What information do we collect?

In connection with your application for work with us, we will collect, store, and use the following categories of personal information about you:

  • The information you have provided to us with your application including your cv or resume
  • Any information you provide to us during an interview
  • Information you provide in relation to your right to work documentation

We may also collect, store and use the following “special categories” of more sensitive personal information:

  • Information about your criminal record
  • Information about your health and any medical condition

We collect this personal information variously from you, the candidate, our employer background checks, your named referees and information from publicly available sources such as the Internet. 

How will we use your personal data?

We will use the personal data that you have provided to assess whether you are suitable for the position for which you have applied.   We also need your personal data to communicate and to enter into an employment agreement with you if you are successful.

We will review your health information if we need to make adjustments to accommodate your condition, either in the recruitment process or in your employment if your application is successful.

We may carry out a criminal records check in order to satisfy ourselves that you have not been convicted of any offence that makes you unsuitable for the role.  We use a third party to conduct this search. 

Who has access to data?

Your information will be shared internally among our senior management team, members of the HR team and other interviewers involved in the recruitment process.

We will not share your data with third parties, unless your application for employment is successful. We may then share your personal data with the referees that you have provided to us and the third party that we use to carry out background and criminal record checks. Those third party providers are required to take appropriate security measures to protect your personal information in line with our policies.

How do we protect data?

We take the security of your data seriously. We have put in place appropriate and adequate technical and physical measures to prevent your personal information from being used or accessed without authority. We limit access to your personal information to those employees and agents who have a legitimate business need to know. We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you of any suspected breach where we are legally required to do so.

For how long do we keep data?

If your application for employment is unsuccessful, we will hold your data on file for twelve months after the end of the recruitment process. After this period, we will securely destroy your personal information.

If your application for employment is successful, personal data gathered during the recruitment process will be transferred to your personnel file and be kept for the period of your employment and thereafter consistent with our privacy policy.  

Your rights

You can at any time:

  • access and obtain a copy of any of your personal data that we hold;
  • ask us to amend incorrect or incomplete data;

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact a member of the HR team.


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About Us

We are building a revolutionary, private light helicopter and engine at our design and production centre in Stafford. The Hill HX50 satisfies a long-unfulfilled demand in the aviation market for a modern, stylish and affordable rotary aircraft. Its composite design, interior luxury and advanced powerplant makes supercar styling, performance and comfort available to helicopter buyers for the first time. The aircraft and engine are all British designed and built in Hill’s own factory. By eliminating expensive supply chains, Hill is dramatically reducing the cost of helicopter ownership and operation. The biofuel-ready engine and cellulose biowaste fuel solution introduce a commercially and technically achievable path to net-zero in general aviation. Reflecting the gap in the market that it fills, the response to the Hill helicopter has exceeded all expectations. HX50 has become the world’s fastest selling helicopter -- redefining the general aviation market globally.