Aircraft Advanced Design Software Engineer

Jetzero; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

10 paid holidays

401(k)

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

Equity tax advisory services

Job summary

JetZero in Long Beach, CA, is seeking an Aircraft Advanced Design Software Engineer to lead the development and optimization of in-house aircraft analysis tools. The ideal candidate will have strong MATLAB programming skills, experience with Simulink, and a solid understanding of aircraft design. This role emphasizes collaboration across engineering disciplines to modernize legacy systems and implement advanced optimization capabilities. JetZero offers a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable aviation, alongside competitive compensation and benefits.

Qualifications

• Strong programming expertise with MATLAB, including numerical methods and performance optimization.
• Hands-on experience with Simulink for dynamic system or flight simulation modeling.
• Ability to improve runtime efficiency and reliability of engineering software.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of aircraft design and analysis tools.
• Improve computational performance of MATLAB and Simulink tools.
• Profile, refactor, and modernize legacy scripts.

Skills

Programming expertise with MATLAB

Hands-on experience with Simulink

Improving runtime efficiency

Understanding of aircraft design

Proficiency with version control systems

Applying software engineering best practices

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Git

Job description

Aircraft Advanced Design Software Engineer

Long Beach, CA

What is JetZero?

Today’s aircraft contribute around 4% of global CO2 emissions, equivalent to the emissions of 200 million cars. This is only going to increase: Air travel is forecasted to double by 2050, while meaningful efficiency gains using current airplanes have hit a wall.

JetZero is developing a blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft. It uses up to 50% less fuel and will be built to accommodate zero‑emission hydrogen propulsion. JetZero is the inevitable solution to sustainable air travel.

The JetZero team

We are experienced aerospace professionals and engineers, excited about the future. That future will only be possible if we share our vision and what it means to people’s lives: carbon‑free flight that is better for both passengers and airlines around the world.

The Aircraft Advanced Design Software Engineer will combine software engineering expertise with a strong foundation in aerospace analysis to build and sustain the tools that power JetZero's aircraft development. You'll be embedded within the Flight Sciences and Aircraft Design teams, collaborating across disciplines to translate complex engineering problems into robust, scalable software solutions. You'll work at the intersection of MATLAB-based MDO frameworks, 6DOF simulation, and conceptual sizing tools — modernizing legacy codebases while architecting new optimization capabilities. Working in a collaborative, agile environment, you'll play a critical role in shaping the analytical infrastructure that underpins the design of the Blended Wing Body aircraft from the ground up.

What You'll Do

• Lead the development, optimization, and scaling of in-house aircraft design and analysis tools supporting conceptual sizing, configuration trades, and performance analysis
• Improve computational performance, robustness, and usability of MATLAB and Simulink based tools, including MDO frameworks and 6DOF flight simulation models
• Profile, refactor, and modernize legacy scripts into maintainable, modular, and efficient software architectures
• Research and architect optimization strategies and implement optimization capability
• Collaborate closely with aircraft design, flight sciences, and systems engineers to translate analysis needs into performant software solutions
• Establish best practices for coding standards, version control, documentation, and long‑term tool sustainability

What You Bring

• Strong programming expertise with MATLAB, including numerical methods, performance optimization, and large‑scale codebases
• Hands‑on experience with Simulink, particularly for dynamic system or flight simulation modeling
• Demonstrated ability to improve runtime efficiency, scalability, and reliability of engineering or scientific software
• Solid understanding of aircraft design and performance fundamentals, sufficient to work effectively with aerospace engineers
• Proficiency with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaborative development workflows
• Experience applying software engineering best practices in a technical or analytical environment

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience with multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) or early‑phase aircraft design tools
• Familiarity with MATLAB Compiler, code generation, and deployment of compiled analytical tools
• Background in aerospace conceptual design, flight mechanics, or performance analysis
• Exposure to parallel computing, algorithmic optimization, or high‑performance computing techniques
• Experience working in fast‑paced aircraft development or advanced prototyping programs

Compensation

Our compensation package is a blend of base salary and equity options for eligible employees. The range for this role is $160,000 - $180,000. We consider a number of factors when presenting a final offer, including geography, internal equity and years of experience and expertise.

• Unlimited PTO
• 10 paid holidays
• 401(k)
• Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Equity tax advisory services

EEO Statement

At JetZero, we value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws, ordinance, or regulation.