Senior Aerothermal Engineer

About Us Odqa is a breakthrough company in solar thermal energy generation, spun out of the University of Oxford and co-founded by jet engine pioneer Prof. Peter Ireland. The company develops systems that replace fossil fuels with clean heat, achieving up to 800 °C in real-world applications. Team members work at the intersection of advanced thermofluids, renewable energy, and industrial-scale deployment, contributing directly to climate solutions. The organization values innovation, rigorous engineering, and practical impact in the field. The Role This is a unique opportunity to work on a transformative renewable energy technology. Within the performance team you’ll develop trusted aerothermal models, support validation and technology demonstration programmes, and work integrally with the engineering team to deliver the lowest Levelised Cost of Heat (LCOH) power plant solutions. At Odqa, you'll also have the unique opportunity to work alongside Professor Peter Ireland FREng and the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, from which Odqa's technology was founded. Key Responsibilities Maintain and develop low order aerothermal models (MATLAB/Python) for CST power plants and their constituent subsystems, with heavy focus on receiver technology.Perform subsystem and system level performance trade studies of CST plants, interfacing with mechanical design and technoeconomic modelling, to optimize designs for the lowest LCOH.Build, run and interpret CFD simulations (ANSYS) of convective, radiative and conjugate heat transfer for receiver geometries and other system components, and perform low-order model verification.Design and plan experiments for model validation (define methodology, instrumentation, test matrices and post processing) with clear quantification of uncertainty.Work together with mechanical, materials and stress engineers to optimise the performance and durability of CST receivers.Clearly document methods, assumptions, and results for internal review and client-facing reporting. Requirements Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace or related Engineering discipline (or equivalent experience).5+ years of relevant industry or postgraduate research experience in aerothermal engineering.Demonstrated experience in the maintenance and development of low order models in software environments such as Matlab and Python.Solid, hands-on CFD experience, ideally with ANSYS, applied to heat transfer or convective flow problems.Experience of working integrally with Systems Engineering processes. Clear written and verbal communication for technical documentation and cross-team collaboration. Desirable Experience modelling and designing heat exchangers for high temperature applications.IP awareness and management through the design process. Details Level: The role is written for a senior engineer level, however, we welcome applications from candidates at higher experience levels. Reporting to: Head of Engineering Location: Oxford / Hybrid (expected in Oxford office 3 days per week) Duration: Full time Salary: Competitive (based on experience level), participation in staff share options scheme, ability to provide visa sponsorship.