Sr Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) / Simulation Engineer

Peraton supports the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mission to deliver timely, reliable care and benefits to America's Veterans by engineering, operating, and modernizing a nationwide data center portfolio. Our team runs enterprise and regional data centers, telecommunications spaces, and secure network connections that host the systems Veterans depend on — from claims processing and pharmacy fulfillment to appointment scheduling and benefits delivery. We provide full-lifecycle data center and cloud engineering, 24×7×365 operations and monitoring, DCIM platform administration, analytics, and facility infrastructure reporting. If you want your engineering, operations, or analytics work to matter to someone, this is where it does.

Position Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermal modeling studies to characterize airflow, cooling performance, capacity, and energy efficiency across the data center portfolio.
• Deliver CFD simulation reports and design recommendations for containment, tile layout, aisle configuration, and cooling infrastructure improvements.
• Calibrate models against DCIM sensor and BMS telemetry; validate accuracy against real-world conditions.
• Mentor mid-level CFD engineers; establish modeling standards and quality gates for the team.
• Partner with critical facilities and mechanical engineers to translate simulation findings into implementable interventions.

#VAIEO

Requirements

• Currently possess or be able to obtain VA Public Trust — High Risk (BI High) / Tier 4 background investigation.
• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field; 8+ years of CFD / thermal modeling experience, including data center environments.
• Education substitutions (per Peraton Career & Compensation Framework): Master's degree substitutes ~2 years of required experience; Ph.D. substitutes ~5 years of required experience. In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, 4 additional years of relevant experience is acceptable (Associate's degree + 2 additional years also accepted for equivalent professional levels).
• Hands-on expertise with TileFlow or an equivalent data center CFD package.

Desired Skills, Tools & Certifications

• Tools: Innovative Research TileFlow (primary CFD), 6SigmaDC / Future Facilities (alternate), AutoCAD, MS Visio, SketchUp, and DCIM sensor data (Nlyte).
• Processes: ITIL v4 service management, SAFe Agile / Scrum for iterative delivery, NIST 800-53 / RMF, ISO 27001, TIA-942, ASHRAE TC 9.9, VA CRISP alignment, NFPA 70/70E, and OSHA safety practices.; ASHRAE TC 9.9 datacom envelopes; Green Grid PUE methodology.
• Certifications (desirable): PE (Mechanical), EPI CDCP/CDCS, ASHRAE Datacom certificate, LEED AP.

Work location: Austin, TX