Senior Aerodynamics Engineer – eVTOL, AI Flight Systems

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer, an aerospace and defense company based in San Jose, is seeking exceptional engineers to advance the aerodynamics of its eVTOL program. You will perform high-fidelity simulations, lead the design and optimization of OML components, and build prediction models that drive flight performance and stability.

Collaborate with flight test pilots and multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex modelling issues, integrate test data into simulations, and contribute to Archer's software stack.

Qualifications

• BS / MS / PhD in Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years with BS, 8+ years with MS, or 4+ years with PhD modeling rotorcraft, tiltrotor, eVTOL aerodynamics at full-vehicle level.
• Expert level understanding of fixed-wing and rotorcraft aerodynamics, performance, and stability & control.
• Proven experience with gradient-based and gradient-free optimization techniques.
• Experience with aerodynamic design of airfoils, wings, control surfaces or similar.
• Experience with surrogate modeling techniques (Kriging, Neural Networks or similar) for aerodynamic modeling and design.
• Advanced Python proficiency.
• Experience with software development tools and best practices: version control (Git), software testing, environment management, CI/CD.
• Experience with experimental data processing and reduction techniques.
• Excellent work planning and issue resolution skills and strong technical communication.

Responsibilities

• Perform and oversee low/mid/high fidelity aerodynamic simulations of Archer eVTOL aircraft.
• Lead the aerodynamic design and optimization of aircraft components to maximize performance and efficiency.
• Architect linear, non-linear, and real-time aerodynamic models to predict aircraft behavior, performance, stability, and control.
• Analyze flight test and wind tunnel data to identify model discrepancies, validating and improving vehicle aerodynamic models.
• Develop methods to integrate flight test data back into aerodynamic simulation models of various fidelities and complexities.
• Contribute to the development of Archer aerodynamic software stack, improving methods and workflows.
• Partner with flight test pilots and multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex modelling issues and update flight simulators.

Skills

Python

Technical communication

C++/Fortran

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Git

CI/CD

Matlab/Simulink

RCAS

CAMRAD2

High-Performance Computing

Job description

Archer, an aerospace and defense company based in San Jose, is seeking exceptional engineers to advance the aerodynamics of its eVTOL program. You will perform high-fidelity simulations, lead the design and optimization of OML components, and build prediction models that drive flight performance and stability.

Collaborate with flight test pilots and multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex modelling issues, integrate test data into simulations, and contribute to Archer's software stack.