02 / About

Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering Student · University of Florida

Ori Algave

I am an Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Florida working on aircraft, rockets, fluids, research, and astrophotography.

Ori Algave in a suit

I am interested in aerospace, defense, aircraft, rockets, fluids, and computational and experimental engineering. Most of the projects I have enjoyed the most are the ones where the work turns into something physical that can be built, tested, and improved.

In Swamp Launch I modeled a rocket for wind tunnel testing and compared results against ANSYS CFD. In Design/Build/Fly I built carbon fiber aircraft structures, including a VTOL prototype. In the FASt Lab I work on experimental fluids and robotic fish test rigs.

Outside of engineering, most of my time goes to Astroori: astrophotography, engineering student content, and project updates.

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Technical skills

Tools and hands-on skills

The software, machines, and lab techniques I use across aerospace design, manufacturing, testing, and astrophotography.

Instrumentation & Testing

NI LabVIEWdSPACE MicroLabBoxData AcquisitionLoad CellsWind-Tunnel TestingWater-Tunnel TestingFunctional TestingReverse EngineeringRoot-Cause AnalysisQuality ControlInspectionTest & EvaluationTechnical DocumentationEngineering Communications

Design & Analysis

SolidWorksOnshape3D CADANSYS FluentMATLABSimulinkXFLR5RASAeroCFDAeroelastic ModelingFEMModal AnalysisFlight DynamicsMesh IndependenceUnsteady AerodynamicsParameter SweepsFusion 360 CAMMPLAB IPEDFMGD&TEngineering DrawingsBOMs

Manufacturing & Fabrication

Composite FabricationMill MachiningLathe MachiningTIG WeldingPlasma CuttingMetal Fabrication3D PrintingInjection-Mold DesignMechanical AssemblyPower Tools

Software & Web

TypeScriptReactNext.jsNodePythonTailwind CSSPostgreSQLPrismaSupabaseStripeVercelGitClaude Code

Medical Devices & Materials

Medical Device PrototypingConductive Materials

Astrophotography

PixInsightSiril

Languages

Hebrew (Native)English (Native)
Experience

Where I have worked

Engineering, research, teaching, and competition team roles at the University of Florida and in industry.

Manufacturing Engineering Intern

Theissen Training Systems (TTS) · Gainesville, FL

Aug 2026 – Present

  • Increased weekly production capacity from 100 to 350+ Stationary Infantry Targets (SITs) and 5 to 40+ Stationary Armor Targets (SATs), bringing weekly output to $2M+ in GFP during a 4-month production cycle supporting 6 MILCON ranges through improved assembly workflow and production readiness.
  • Built a 50-meter MAT track for first-article testing; conducted environmental and production-line quality validation testing following standard operating procedures (SOPs) and troubleshot hardware, firmware, and assembly failures.
  • Referenced engineering drawings and Creo CAD models to manufacture electrical power distribution and communication networks using fiber optics, Ethernet, VDSL, and radio technologies for SITs on training ranges; programmed PDB/CNC circuit boards using Microchip MPLAB IPE.
  • Managed procurement for 5 delivery orders valued at $3M+, sourcing 150+ COTS parts and tracking RFQs, vendor quotes, and purchase orders for 65+ custom-manufactured parts to support target assembly planning.
  • Developed a production tracking dashboard translating shipping-sheet data into live palletization progress and shipment status to support production planning and on-time delivery.
  • Fabricated a floor-anchored steel tooling jig using plasma cutting and welding to secure hydraulic actuators and other high-torque assemblies.

Engineering Intern

Evren Technologies · Gainesville, FL

Apr 2026 – Aug 2026

  • Reduced electrode pad cutting time by 85% using stamp-press tooling and standardized fabrication procedures to improve repeatability.
  • Designed injection-molded components in Onshape and validated fit and manufacturability with 3D-printed prototypes, supporting rapid design iteration, DFM refinement, and transition to production assembly.
  • Built and electrically tested complete ear-worn bioelectronic devices using a digital multimeter (DMM) to perform voltage checks, verify electrical performance, and troubleshoot assembly issues.

Research Assistant

Fluids and Adaptive Structures (FASt) Lab · Gainesville, FL

Feb 2026 – Present

  • Diagnosed and corrected added-mass and damping errors in a MATLAB aeroelastic model predicting how flexible structures respond to fluid forces, enabling a 15× increase in usable finite element method (FEM) mesh resolution, from 2 to 30 elements.
  • Measured lift, drag, and pitching moment on a NACA 0012 hydrofoil through water-tunnel testing across −5° to 18° angles of attack and varying flow speeds to evaluate computational model predictions.
  • Adapted an aeroelastic simulation for combined towing and base-excitation testing, matching model parameters to a physical setup with a 1.0 m/s tow speed, 1-ft carbon-fiber beam, and NACA 0020 fin.
  • Authored water-tunnel test procedures defining experimental setup, instrumentation, operating conditions, and data collection to support repeatable testing and model validation.

Teaching Assistant, The Art & Science of Astrophotography

UF Department of Astronomy · Gainesville, FL

Jan 2026 – Aug 2026

  • Operated and safeguarded 6 observatory telescopes valued at $50,000+, managing setup, safety, and student use during imaging sessions.
  • Troubleshot, calibrated, and aligned cameras, tracking mounts, and telescope hardware while training students in data reduction and post-processing to ensure reliable, interpretable results.

Aerosciences / Staging Engineer

Swamp Launch Rocket Team · Gainesville, FL

Aug 2025 – Present

  • Achieved drag estimates within 15% of RASAero predictions by developing mesh-independent ANSYS Fluent subsonic CFD models on UF’s HiPerGator supercomputer, evaluating rocket aerodynamic performance across Mach 0.1–1.0.
  • Served as Responsible Engineer for flight-dynamics simulation and aft-plane pressure sensing, validated models against flight data, and developed pressure-drag instrumentation for a 10,000-ft IREC apogee target.
  • Designed a dual-load-cell wind-tunnel test rig with precision-machined couplings and Arduino-based DAQ; authored test procedures covering Reynolds-number scaling, setup, data analysis, and limitations.
  • Standardized CFD procedures across 10 Mach regimes (0.1–1.0), documenting mesh requirements, boundary-layer (Y+) targets, solver settings, and post-processing.

Aerodynamics / Manufacturing Engineer

Gators Design Build Fly · Gainesville, FL

Aug 2025 – Present

  • Reduced airframe drag by 18% and body weight by 34% through iterative geometry optimization and carbon-fiber composite fabrication.
  • Analyzed wing and tail aerodynamic performance using ANSYS Fluent and XFLR5; manufactured carbon-fiber airframe components using positive and negative mold layup techniques.
Beyond the lab

Leading, officiating, and unwinding

Vice President

Lubavitch Chabad Student Group

Apr 2025 – Present

  • Lead 8 committees serving 1,500+ students, coordinating campus-wide programs and events from planning through execution.
  • Created and led a 50-person mentorship cohort pairing upperclassmen with new students to guide their transition to college; organized exclusive biweekly events for participants.

Tennis

I started playing tennis during my senior year of high school. I like that it takes patience, consistency, and the ability to reset quickly after a mistake.

Soccer

Soccer has always been one of my favorite sports. It keeps me active, and I like the teamwork, communication, and quick decision-making that come with the game.

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