Staff Flight Physics Engineer

Electra Aero • Manassas, VA

12h • Hybrid

About The Position

At Electra, we're pioneering sustainable aviation by developing hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft designed to transform regional air mobility, by making air travel more efficient, quieter, and environmentally friendly. Able to operate from soccer field-sized spaces, our Ultra Short unlocks a new era of aviation through what we call Direct Aviation - the next level of connectivity bringing air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, with additional locations in Switzerland, we're building a diverse team of global professionals passionate about redefining the future of aviation. Position Overview: Electra is actively recruiting a Staff Flight Physics Engineer to support the design, development and testing of our hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.  As a startup company, Electra is at an early stage, so this position requires a versatile person who is not afraid to work hard and move fast. As the company will evolve and grow with time, so will this job. This position is in Manassas, VA.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace or a related field and
• 5+ years of experience in relevant discipline areas or an equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience
• Demonstrated capability generating high‑quality aerodynamic meshes in Pointwise for external flows and complex geometry.
• Experience in Python for CFD data analysis, post‑processing, automation, and workflow integration.
• Familiarity with Paraview for visualizing and understanding flow fields results from CFD.
• Hands‑on experience running and interpreting results from aerospace‑focused CFD solvers such as Flow360, FUN3D, or similar high-fidelity CFD solver.
• Knowledge of flight vehicle dynamics, including aerodynamic forces, stability, and control principles.
• Proficient in VLM-based analysis tools such as xRotor, AVL for lower order aerodynamic assessment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work collaboratively within a startup environment.
• Ability to write and maintain clean documentation for your design process.
• Track record of working in a team through an aircraft development program.
• Strong program background, work ethic, and interdisciplinary/system thinking to independently meet and lead the areas described by the responsibilities and essential functions.

Nice To Haves

• Master's or PhD degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related discipline with emphasis on aerodynamics, CFD, or flight physics.
• Experience using Flow360 CFD solver for external aerodynamic simulations, including experience validating results against test data.
• Strong software development capability in Python (preferred) or MATLAB, including experience creating automated post‑processing workflows, custom analysis tools, and data pipelines.
• Experience with the aircraft development process and familiarity with aircraft systems and FAR 23 regulations.
• US Person (Citizen or Green Card) Preferred

Responsibilities

• Analyze and synthesize aerodynamic data from flight test, wind‑tunnel experiments, and CFD simulations to support performance and design evaluations.
• Design or support the design of various test or prototype systems.
• Perform end‑to‑end CFD analyses, including geometry preparation, mesh generation, solver execution, and post‑processing of results.
• Carry out sensitivity studies related to aircraft performance, stability, and control metrics.
• Prepare and present at gated design reviews to demonstrate the adequacy of the designs and procedures.
• Understand program objectives and requirements to conduct trade studies and define architectures, requirements, and interfaces between systems.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams (structures, controls, propulsion, systems) to gather data, integrate insights, and drive informed design decisions.

Benefits

• Electra offers employees a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, and life insurance, generous PTO and sick leave, company holidays, paid winter break, and a 401(k) plan with immediate vesting.
• Life at Electra includes a variety of perks, such as free catered lunches, amazing coffee, snacks, drinks, fruit, free parking, and opportunities for much more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level