Flight Controls Engineer: VTOL & Fixed-Wing Dynamics

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc.; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

PTO 120 hours

Life insurance

HSA

401(k) match

Paid holidays

Casual work environment

Job summary

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc (ESAero) in San Luis Obispo, CA seeks a Flight Controls Engineer with fixed wing, rotorcraft, and flight test experience. You will lead simulation and development of advanced control systems for conventional and VTOL configurations across scales, collaborating with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, software, and systems teams.

The role covers development of flight dynamics simulations, design of adaptive and optimal flight controls, and flight test support,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or equivalent.
• 2+ years in flight controls and simulation engineering.
• Experience in UAS and manned aircraft design.
• Strong grasp of complex aircraft dynamics (aero, structures, control).
• Experience simulating nonlinear sub-systems.
• Experience with frequency and time-domain analysis.
• Control system simulation, implementation, testing and verification.
• Familiarity with embedded real-time control systems.
• Experience with flight-test system identification.
• Cross-disciplinary understanding (aerodynamics, structures, electrical, embedded).

Responsibilities

• Develop flight dynamics simulations for conventional and VTOL aircraft.
• Design and implement optimal and adaptive flight controls and guidance laws.
• Develop flight test maneuvers for verification and identification.
• Conduct system identification in time and frequency domains.
• Support integration and test of aircraft for flight test.
• Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, software, and systems teams.
• Improve processes, methods, and tools for flight control.
• Conduct peer reviews and cross-functional collaboration.
• Support flight operations during ground and flight tests, including pre-flight readiness and real-time monitoring.
• Participate in safety assessments and trade studies to ensure reliability and airworthiness.

Skills

Flight controls

Simulation engineering

UAS design

Rotorcraft & fixed-wing

Time/frequency analysis

Embedded real-time control

System identification

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering

Job description

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc (ESAero) in San Luis Obispo, CA seeks a Flight Controls Engineer with fixed wing, rotorcraft, and flight test experience. You will lead simulation and development of advanced control systems for conventional and VTOL configurations across scales, collaborating with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, software, and systems teams.

The role covers development of flight dynamics simulations, design of adaptive and optimal flight controls, and flight test support,