Job Description
Company Description: Stratum Defense Technology LLP is an Indian defence technology company building autonomous systems for the Indian armed forces. We are not a software consultancy, not a drone company pivoting to maritime, and not a proposal exercise. We are building hardware. Complex, safety-critical, sovereign hardware that India does not yet have. Our flagship programme is Project MAKARA, India's first indigenous Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (AUV). MAKARA is designed to give the Indian Navy persistent covert underwater surveillance, distributed acoustic sensor network deployment, anti-submarine warfare coordination, and precision undersea strike capability, all from a single autonomous platform that carries no foreign weapon dependency. We are headquartered in New Delhi with programme operations at Visakhapatnam, co-located with NSTL and the Eastern Naval Command. We are at the founding team stage. The people joining now will be present at every significant milestone: ADITI 4 award, NSTL MoU signing, the first time the hull comes back from MTAR, the NSTL towing tank campaigns, and the Indian Navy sea trials. Role Description: You will own the hydrodynamic design and validation programme for Project MAKARA, India's first indigenous Multi-Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle. This means you are the person who takes published NSTL Hydrodynamics Research Wing CFD methodology, applies it to our specific vehicle geometry, and stands in the room at NSTL's High Speed Towing Tank and Cavitation Tunnel as the SDT technical lead. You will be the technical counterpart to NSTL's HRW team. The programme is grounded in three peer-reviewed papers from NSTL Vizag (2006, 2010, 2013) — you will have read them before your first day. This is not a desk-based simulation role. You will be preparing test articles, specifying instrumentation, and interpreting physical test data alongside DRDO scientists. What you will do: Own MAKARA's pumpjet propulsor design: rotor-stator geometry, blade count, skew angle, cowl profile, all derived from NSTL HRW published methodology Deliver the complete 5-study CFD package (bare hull resistance, PJP open water, self-propulsion, cavitation, EMDock appendage drag) in ANSYS Fluent format for NSTL HRW independent validation Lead SDT's technical engagement at all NSTL test facility campaigns: HSTT (towing tank), Cavitation Tunnel including Large Cavitation Tunnel, Wind Tunnel, and Acoustic Test Facility Prepare pre-test prediction reports for each NSTL facility campaign, and interpret post-test data against predictions Validate radiated noise predictions against NSTL Acoustic Test Facility measurements Own hydrodynamic sections in the ADITI 4 and DISC 14 technical submissions and DIO milestone evidence packages Coordinate with the Mechanical Design Engineer on hull geometry finalisation and with the Systems Engineering Lead on hydrodynamic requirements Qualifications: Essential: Masters or PhD in Naval Architecture, Aerospace, Mechanical, or Ocean Engineering ANSYS Fluent or equivalent commercial CFD solver, minimum 3 years hands-on with rotating machinery or propulsor applications Experience with propulsor or propeller hydrodynamic design: rotor-stator, open propeller, waterjet, or pumpjet Familiarity with towing tank or cavitation tunnel test procedures Ability to implement published CFD methodology directly from peer-reviewed papers Beneficial: NSTL, NIOT, IIT Madras Ocean Engineering, Cochin University, or Andhra University Ship Technology background Experience with AUV, UUV, or torpedo hydrodynamic design Acoustic signature prediction or radiated noise modelling DRDO or Indian Navy shipbuilding programme background What we offer: Work on a programme that does not exist anywhere else in India Direct access to NSTL Visakhapatnam test facilities and DRDO research community Founding team equity consideration for senior hires Competitive salary benchmarked to Chennai and Visakhapatnam defence-adjacent market Hybrid working: in-person at Chennai or Visakhapatnam for critical milestones, flexible otherwise Full involvement in iDEX ADITI 4 from award through prototype and Indian Navy acceptance To apply: send your CV and a short note on your relevant experience to Send your CV/Resume and a short note on your CFD solver experience and any towing tank or cavitation tunnel work to Rajitkh@stratumdefensetechnology.com . Subject line: JD01 Hydrodynamics.