Staff / Senior Flight Physics Engineer
About The Position
Electra is building the EL9, a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft with Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing (eSTOL) technology. This technology aims to unlock new operating locations and enable quiet, point-to-point regional travel. The company is headquartered in Manassas, VA, backed by major industry players, and is progressing towards FAA Part 23 type certification with test flights planned for 2027 and certification by late 2029 or 2030. This role is crucial for the company's development phase. As a Staff or Senior Flight Physics Engineer, you will be instrumental in the design, development, analysis, and certification of Electra's eSTOL aircraft. The position centers on aircraft performance, flight physics, and multidisciplinary design analysis, ensuring the aircraft meets stringent operational and certification standards. You will collaborate closely with various engineering teams, including aerodynamics, flight sciences, systems, certification, flight test, and aircraft design. Your responsibilities will include analyzing aircraft performance across all flight phases, verifying certification compliance, and influencing key design decisions. The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical and systems thinking skills, thrives in a dynamic startup environment, and demonstrates technical ownership, adaptability, and collaboration.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related engineering discipline
- Experience in aircraft performance analysis, flight sciences, aerodynamics, or related aerospace engineering disciplines
- Experience with aircraft certification requirements, particularly FAA Part 23 and/or Part 25
- Proficiency with Python or MATLAB for engineering analysis and modeling
- Experience using version control tools such as Git
- Strong understanding of flight vehicle dynamics and aircraft performance, particularly takeoff and landing performance
- Experience with vortex lattice method (VLM) and aircraft analysis tools such as AVL, xRotor, or similar
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and systems engineering skills
- Ability to effectively communicate technical findings to multidisciplinary audiences
- Experience developing and maintaining clear engineering documentation
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, highly integrated development environment
Nice To Haves
- Master's or PhD in Aerospace Engineering or related discipline
- Experience supporting aircraft development programs from conceptual design through certification
- Familiarity with aircraft systems and multidisciplinary aircraft design processes
- Experience analyzing novel aircraft configurations, eVTOL, eSTOL, hybrid-electric, or advanced air mobility aircraft
- Experience supporting FAA certification efforts and regulatory interactions
- Flight test analysis or flight sciences experience
- U.S. Person (U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder) preferred
Responsibilities
- Analyze and evaluate aircraft performance across all phases of flight, including takeoff, landing, climb, cruise, and failure scenarios
- Incorporate aerodynamic data from flight testing, wind tunnel testing, and CFD simulations into aircraft performance models and evaluations
- Assess aircraft performance against FAA Part 23 certification requirements and support certification activities with regulatory authorities
- Conduct sensitivity studies and trade analyses to understand the impact of aircraft design parameters on performance metrics
- Develop and maintain performance analysis tools, models, and methodologies using Python or MATLAB
- Support aircraft design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, and certification reviews) by presenting analysis results and technical recommendations
- Provide performance, risk, and mass-property inputs to multidisciplinary trade studies and program decisions
- Define and evaluate aircraft-level requirements, architectures, and interfaces across systems and disciplines
- Collaborate with engineering teams to gather, analyze, and interpret data that drives informed design decisions
- Support validation of performance predictions through test planning, data analysis, and correlation activities
- Document engineering methods, analyses, assumptions, and results with a high degree of technical rigor
Benefits
- Competitive salary and equity
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- STD, LTD, and life insurance
- Generous PTO, sick leave, and company holidays
- Paid winter break
- 401(k) with immediate vesting
- Free catered lunches, coffee, snacks, and drinks at our Manassas headquarters
- Free on-site parking
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
