Intern - Aerodynamic Test Engineer
North Wind is hiring an Aerodynamics Test Engineering Intern in St Paul, MN to help plan, execute, and analyze wind tunnel and ground-based aerodynamic tests for hypersonic aerospace programs — including instrumentation setup, data acquisition, and comparison with CFD predictions. Applicants must be US citizens pursuing an aerospace/mechanical engineering degree.
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Minnesota FLM , St Paul, MN, US
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Intern
- Employment
- Internship
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Qa
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Aeronautical Engineering, or a closely related discipline
- Coursework or project experience in aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, experimental methods, or aerospace engineering
- Familiarity with engineering data analysis tools such as MATLAB or Python
- Ability to interpret technical drawings, engineering specifications, and experimental data
- Strong analytical, mathematical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to organize tasks, work independently, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance if required
Nice to have
- Basic understanding of aerodynamic principles and compressible flow
- Familiarity with wind tunnel testing or other experimental aerospace testing
- Exposure to supersonic/hypersonic aerodynamics, compressible flow, shock waves, or boundary-layer behavior
- Experience with pressure transducers, thermocouples, force balances, or other instrumentation
- Familiarity with data acquisition systems, sensor calibration, or experimental uncertainty analysis
- Exposure to CFD software or comparing computational predictions with experimental results
- Familiarity with CAD software or design and integration of test articles
- Experience with laboratory research, engineering projects, or technical report writing
Full description
Join North Wind - Accelerating National Advantage
At North Wind, we are advancing hypersonic technologies through cutting-edge research, system development, and flight testing. Our team drives innovation in high-speed aerodynamics, propulsion systems, and mission-critical components, supporting every phase of hypersonic programs - from R&D to flight testing, if you are passionate about pushing technological boundaries in a dynamic environment, we invite you to join us.
Position Summary
North Wind is seeking an Aerodynamics Test Engineering Intern to support the planning, preparation, execution, and analysis of aerodynamic testing for advanced aerospace applications. Working alongside experienced engineers and technical teams, the intern will gain exposure to wind tunnel experiments, aerodynamic instrumentation, data acquisition, and experimental data analysis. This role offers an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world engineering challenges while supporting the evaluation and development of advanced aerodynamic systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist with planning and preparing aerodynamic tests, including wind tunnel experiments and other ground-based testing activities.
- Support the development of test plans, procedures, test matrices, and technical documentation.
- Assist with preparing, configuring, and integrating aerodynamic test models, test articles, and associated instrumentation.
- Help establish test configurations, operating conditions, and data acquisition requirements.
- Support the collection, processing, and analysis of experimental data related to pressure distributions, aerodynamic forces, moments, and flow characteristics.
- Assist with operating and troubleshooting instrumentation and data acquisition systems under engineering supervision.
- Help compare experimental results with engineering calculations and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions.
- Prepare test summaries, technical reports, presentations, and other engineering documentation.
- Participate in test readiness reviews, design reviews, and technical meetings.
- Collaborate with aerodynamics, mechanical design, systems engineering, and technical operations teams to resolve testing challenges.
- Assist with improving test procedures, data quality, and testing efficiency.
- Follow established safety procedures, quality standards, and program requirements.
Qualifications
- Currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
- Coursework or project experience involving aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, experimental methods, or aerospace engineering.
- Basic understanding of aerodynamic principles and compressible flow is preferred.