Senior Staff Aircraft Performance Engineer
Mountain View, CA
Departments – Flight Physics /
Full Time /
Hybrid
At Wisk, we're transforming the future of urban mobility through safe, all-electric, autonomous flight. We are a passionate team working together toward a sustainable future, solving high-impact problems that have never been solved before. By delivering everyday flight for everyone, we're making it possible to spend less time getting there and more time being there. If you want to be part of shaping the future of mobility, then read on!
We are looking for a Sr. Staff Aircraft Performance Engineer to join our S&C and Performance group within the Flight Physics team, to help with the design, simulation, flight testing and certification of our current and future Wisk eVTOL aircraft. In this role you will be responsible for developing methodologies and aircraft performance models (including propulsion, ESPS and thermal aspects) to be the reference source for off board and onboard aircraft performance calculation and flight planning. As such, you will also be the technical integrator and primary point of contact for aircraft performance related topics within the Vehicle Management System (VMS), Mission Management System (MMS), Propulsion, ESPS, ConOps and Airspace Operations / Integration.
This is a hybrid work opportunity. At Wisk, this means working onsite at our Mountain View office 2 to 3 days per week with flexibility for the remainder of the days.
The goal of the S&C and Performance group at Wisk is to perform linear and non-linear stability & control analysis, size flight control surfaces, evaluate flight characteristics, calculate performance data and assist the safety team to build the first fully autonomous all-electric aircraft that performs and operates safely in an urban air-mobility environment.
The successful candidate has direct hands-on experience developing and testing fixed wing aircraft and/or rotorcraft, from initial concept through flight testing and certification, with the technical breadth necessary to interface with all the other engineering functions (VMS, MMS, Propulsion, ESPS, ConOps, Certification, etc.). The ideal candidate should also have some Simulink and simulation experience. In this role, the candidate must be a highly motivated, self-starting individual with a broad set of skills and never afraid of facing complex technical challenges.
What you will do:
- Develop a Computerized Aircraft Performance Program that will serve as the reference for any aircraft performance calculation and eventually, as approved performance data for the certified aircraft.
- Develop tools & processes for performance data reduction & expansion and optimization of flight mission planning for safe operations of an autonomous aircraft.
- Develop, modify, and run in-house tools, including 6DoF simulation models, to analyze aircraft flight performance during take off, hover, transition, climb, cruise, descent and landing.
- Estimate critical performance parameters, such as stall speeds, best rate of climb, climb ceiling, maximum range, noise profiles and energy reserves.
- Support the integration of the Computerized Aircraft Performance Program within the aircraft onboard systems framework and within the offboard flight operations and planning tools.
- Support the Propulsion group in the definition of the electric motor ratings.
- Plan and participate in the flight test campaigns to analyze performance data to support certification, including test scope planning, instrumentation requirements, flight test support and data reduction for the performance models creation and data matching.
- Author and review certification documents to show compliance with FAA/EASA certification requirements related to Aircraft Performance.
Requirements:
- B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, or another relevant discipline
- 12+ years of experience doing detailed Performance analysis on fixed wing aircraft and/or rotorcraft, or similar relevant experience
- Gained strong knowledge of performance methodologies and associated software development for performance data reduction & expansion tools
- Developed performance data for inclusion in Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM), Flight Planning and Cruise Control Manual (FPCCM), etc.
- Developed test plans based on an understanding of the certification requirements and associated means of compliance for fixed wing aircraft and/or rotorcraft
- Excellent understanding of key concepts and equations for aircraft performance analysis
- Experience with simulation and flight testing for aircraft performance
- Experienced with scripting languages and Simulation tools (e.g. Python, MATLAB)
- Previous experience with the various phases of an aircraft development program, from conceptual design through certification and in-service support.
$198,000 - $233,000 a year
Compensation and Benefits:
In addition to offering a great work environment and the opportunity to be part of the team making electric autonomous flight a reality, at Wisk, we offer excellent total rewards which include a competitive base salary, annual bonus, long term incentive, 401K, health benefits and much more.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay Range the Company expects to pay:$198,000 - $233,000per year - The starting base salary within this range for this role varies based on factors such as your geographical location, and your relevant job-related experience that is consistent with a business necessity.
We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those from marginalized or underrepresented groups in the tech industry and aerospace, to apply for our job openings. We consider every candidate who shares our passion for making the impossible possible, even if they may not strictly meet all preferred requirements. We firmly believe that a diverse range of perspectives can profoundly influence both our product and our company culture.
Wisk HQ located in Mountain View just a couple of hundred feet from Shoreline Lake and its surrounding walking/jogging trails. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, alternative work schedule (9/80), flexible time off, 11 company holidays, a 401(k) plan with 50% company matching vested immediately, commuter assistance, and education assistance. And on top of all that, we also offer a variety of perks such as free catered lunches, flight lessons, wellness allowances, snacks, drinks, fruit, employee referral bonus, charitable giving match, patent bonus program, happy hours and much more.
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Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background check. Wisk Aero provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Wisk Aero abides by applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
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