Modeling & Simulation Flight Dynamics Engineer
About The Position
Joby Aviation is developing an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility. The Modeling and Simulation team seeks an engineer to help bring the JAS4-1 to market by developing and validating flight dynamics models used by flight controls, flight test, simulation, and certification teams. The role involves running tests in the flight simulator, analyzing post-flight data, correlating experimental results with models, and improving model fidelity over time. The engineer will contribute across the modeling lifecycle for a novel aircraft, including model development, system identification, validation, and collaboration with other engineering teams and test pilots.
Requirements
- B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline with at least 5 years of relevant industry experience; or an advanced degree (M.S., M.Eng., or Ph.D.) with at least 2 years of relevant industry experience; equivalent practical experience is also accepted.
- Strong understanding of aircraft and rotorcraft aerodynamics and flight dynamics, including equations of motion, aerodynamic coefficients, stability and control derivatives, trim, and linearization.
- Experience with system identification methods, including data fitting and regression.
- Experience correlating and validating flight dynamics models against experimental data.
- Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, and Simulink.
- Experience with configuration control and management of models.
- Strong problem-solving, software debugging, and communication skills.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
Nice To Haves
- Experience developing and validating 6-DOF nonlinear aircraft simulations.
- Experience with experimental data processing, such as data reduction and Kalman filtering or smoothing.
- Experience conducting wind-tunnel tests and using the results to improve and validate simulation models.
- Experience on an aviation certification program.
- Experience with VTOL, rotorcraft, or tiltrotor flight dynamics.
Responsibilities
- Develop and refine aerodynamic and flight dynamics models for real-time simulation, performance prediction, and engineering analysis.
- Run 6-DOF aircraft simulations in support of flight testing and certification.
- Linearize nonlinear models and validate them against baseline simulations.
- Interpret flight-test, wind-tunnel, and simulator data to correlate and validate the flight dynamics model.
- Support verification and validation activities that depend on model outputs.
- Contribute to Joby’s in-house system identification and modeling tools.
- Develop and improve the software methods behind modeling tools and workflows.
- Work with flight controls, flight test, flight physics, and other teams to define required model accuracy.
- Partner with test pilots to improve model fidelity based on simulator feedback.
Benefits
- Paid time off.
- Healthcare benefits.
- 401(k) plan with a company match.
- Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP).
- Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
- Life insurance.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
