Performance Engineer

Jeppesen ForeFlight Careers•Austin, TX

53d•$110,000 - $140,000

About The Position

The Aircraft Performance Engineer will play a key role in advancing the design, validation, and deployment of aircraft performance models and algorithms that power Jeppesen ForeFlight’s next generation of flight efficiency capabilities. This position combines aircraft performance expertise with modern software development practices. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working across engineering disciplines — from aerodynamic modeling to data pipelines and API integration.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
5–10 years of experience in aircraft performance engineering, flight physics, or operational analysis
Strong understanding of aerodynamic theory, propulsion performance, weight and balance, and flight mechanics
Experience working with aircraft manufacturer documentation such as AFM, FCOM, and FPPM
Proficiency with Python for numerical modeling, data analysis, and automation (NumPy, pandas, SciPy)
Experience handling and analyzing recorded flight data (QAR, FDR, or similar formats)
Familiarity with version control systems (Git) and collaborative software development practices
Strong communication skills and an ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary environment

Nice To Haves

Experience building or maintaining software components in a cloud environment (AWS preferred)
Familiarity with API-based architectures, including REST or GraphQL
Knowledge of data pipeline tools (e.g., AWS Glue, Lambda, Step Functions, or Airflow)
Exposure to TypeScript or JavaScript for integration testing, automation, or visualization purposes
Understanding of PostgreSQL or other relational databases for storing model parameters or flight data
Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tooling (e.g., GitHub Actions, Jenkins)
Knowledge of airline operations, cost index theory, and flight optimization principles
Experience working at an airline in a performance engineering role
Experience contributing to or consuming mobile application services (Swift or Kotlin) is a plus
Pilot or aviation enthusiast

Responsibilities

Develop, calibrate, and validate aircraft performance models using manufacturer data, flight test results, and recorded flight data
Analyze aerodynamic, propulsion, and weight characteristics to quantify performance across all flight phases
Derive and optimize algorithms that translate aircraft performance parameters into actionable flight guidance
Collaborate with software engineers and data scientists to integrate performance models into production systems and applications
Contribute to data interface specifications, API design, and service-level requirements for aircraft performance services
Ensure model implementations are computationally efficient, scalable, and consistent with operational accuracy standards
Analyze flight data (QAR/FDR) to identify trends, anomalies, and performance deviations
Develop and maintain scripts and tools to process and visualize large flight datasets
Perform statistical validation of model outputs using empirical flight data and automated regression testing
Develop and execute verification test plans for new or updated aircraft performance models.
Document assumptions, inputs, limitations, and validation results for internal review and audit.
Collaborate with product, QA, and customer teams to ensure high confidence and traceability of performance results
Partner with cross-functional teams in flight operations, data science, and mobile development to align model outputs with operational use cases
Communicate complex technical findings clearly to stakeholders of varying technical backgrounds
Serve as an internal subject matter expert on aircraft performance and flight efficiency