Job Description: Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Company : Kuruba Aerospace Pvt Ltd Role : Co-Founder & CTO – Aerospace Combustion Specialist Location : Hybrid in Mysore/Bangalore. Compensation : Equity Only (Initial 6 months unpaid) Start Date : Immediate About Us Kuruba Aerospace Pvt Ltd is an early-stage deeptech aerospace startup on a mission to build India’s next-generation propulsion systems. Our focus is on developing a Hybrid Flameless Combustor (HFC) based on Pressure Gain Combustion (PGC) principles – a potentially game-changing approach for gas turbines and jet engines. We are currently at the concept stage, with a detailed technical concept note outlining the innovation. This combustor is envisioned as the first building block in a larger vision to develop a complete clean-sheet jet engine. We're now looking to digitally validate this concept through design, simulation, and theoretical modeling — and need a committed technical co-founder to lead this. Role & Responsibilities As Co-Founder & CTO, you will take full charge of the technical roadmap and: 1. Lead the concept validation of our novel combustor using CAD, CFD, FEA. 2. Oversee R&D in pressure gain and flameless combustion. 3. Develop simulation models and analyze performance of advanced combustion systems. 4. Create technical documentation for validation, funding, and grant applications. 5. Work closely with the founder to meet milestones under tight deadlines. 6. Help secure lab access, partnerships, and resources when needed. 7.Plan future transition from concept to prototype and experimental testing. Requirements 1. Master's or PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Combustion, Gas Turbines, or Thermofluids. 2. Strong background in combustion theory, especially pressure gain combustion. 3. Proficient in CAD (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA), CFD (ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+), FEA. 4. Experience in simulation-based validation of thermal-fluid systems. 5. Entrepreneurial mindset: able to work without salary for 6 months (equity provided). 6. Ability to take ownership, meet tight timelines, and work flexibly in a startup environment. Good to Have • Prior work on RDEs, PDEs, or other pressure gain combustion systems. • Exposure to gas turbine combustor design and optimization. • Experience with grant writing, IP filing, or technical investor presentations. • Capability to bring or connect to labs, funding, or tools. Key Notes • All intellectual property (IP) developed will be owned by the founder or company. • You will have technical freedom, but must be disciplined with milestone-based deliverables. • Work is primarily remote, with hybrid collaboration as needed. What We Offer 1. Co-founder title + meaningful equity. 2. Full ownership of all technical and R&D direction. 3. Opportunity to build a world-class aerospace product from scratch. 4. A mission-driven startup working to solve real problems in jet propulsion with clean technology. If you're a Masters or PhD combustion expert looking to join a high-impact startup at ground zero and co-create a new future for propulsion — we’d love to hear from you. 📩 Contact: Pavan@kuruba-aero.in 🌐 website: https://kuruba-aero.in