What are Aero Jobs?

Aerodynamic roles in Motorsport study the motion of air flow around solid body parts and objects. The types of job roles you can expect to find in an Aero department are Aerodynamic Surfacing, CFD Engineers, Aerodynamicists and Wind Tunnel Technicians.

What are examples of Aero job titles?

There are many different job titles that fall into Aerodynamics, and these can include Principal Aerodynamicist, Aerodynamics Group Leader, Aerodynamicist & Senior Aerodynamicist, Aerodynamics Analysis Engineer, Aero Performance Engineer, Aerodynamics Designer, Aerodynamic Surface Designer, Aerodynamics Concept Designer, Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD)/Aerodynamics Engineer, Aerothermal Engineers, Aerodynamic Analysis and Correlation Engineer, Aero R&D Engineer, Aerodynamic Designer, Aero Car Technician, Aero Modelling, Wind Tunnel Technician, Wind Tunnel Engineer, Wind Tunnel Operations Engineer, Wind Tunnel Systems Engineer, Wind Tunnel Project Engineer, Wind Tunnel Methodology Engineer, Aeroscience.. and many more.

There are also trackside Aero roles that will travel with the main race team to all races, such as Trackside Aerodynamicists including Junior and Senior positions.

There will also be some crossover with Design and Production, and you will find Machinists jobs that specialise in Aero such as Aerodynamics Machinist, Aerodynamic Fabrication Manager, Aerodynamic CNC operator etc.

Aero roles receive high investment from motorsport teams and there are many entry-level positions. Most F1 teams run Industrial Placements every year and these will include Aero Test Facilities Industrial Placements, Aerodynamic Design, Aerodynamics Undergraduate Placements and Aerodynamics Developments Student Placements. There are also several Aero internships and graduate positions available periodically.  

What tasks and responsibilities do roles in Aero have?

Most Aero roles will be office based and will involve analysing performance data and datasets and developing programming tools and methodologies.

Work will also involve testing and analysis of experimental and numerical simulations of Track, Wind Tunnel and CFD data and creating 3D surfaces in CAD.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) is a method for automating control of machine tools using software embedded in a microcomputer attached to the tool. With roles such as Aerodynamic CNC operator, you will use CAD/CAM with a focus on CNC code generation for 3 and 5 axis machining centres. For the manufacture of precision components. You may be working with Siemens machines such as NX Cam, for example.

What qualifications do you need to work in Aero?

You will be expected to have a Master’s degree in STEM subjects or Aerospace Engineering.

You will also be expected to have proficient computer skills using. Various software such as CAD and Atlas and have sufficient knowledge of platforms like MATLAB & Simulink. Knowledge of code such as Python and/or C ++.