Senior Flight Controls & Handling Qualities Engineer

Colonial Group; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Colonial Group's Sr. Engineer, Control Law (CLAWS) & Handling Qualities Engineer supports air vehicle design, simulation, component test, and flight test activities through flight dynamics analysis, control law assessment, and handling qualities evaluation.

This role develops CLAWS models, integrates simulations, conducts handling qualities assessments, and collaborates with Supernal teams to inform design decisions and verification efforts across development stages.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, control systems engineering, or a related technical field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience.
• Experience in flight dynamics, flight controls, control law analysis, handling qualities evaluation, aircraft simulation, or flight test support.
• Experience using MATLAB/Simulink for modeling, simulation, control law integration, or dynamic system analysis.
• Experience developing, using, or reviewing engineering simulation environments for aircraft, rotorcraft, powered lift aircraft, or other complex vehicle systems.
• Experience with physics-based flight dynamics simulation tools such as FLIGHTLAB, or similar aircraft modeling and simulation tools.
• Experience with real time simulation, pilot in the loop simulation, hardware in the loop testing, or integrated simulation environments preferred.
• Familiarity with aircraft handling qualities, flight control modes, stability and control, system interfaces, or flight test data analysis preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Travel up to approximately 10% domestically and internationally to support simulation events, design reviews, test activities, and program milestones.

Responsibilities

• Review and assess flight control law behavior, control modes, gain schedules, and closed loop aircraft response.
• Use flight dynamics models and simulation results to evaluate stability, controllability, handling qualities, and aircraft response characteristics.
• Support analysis of stability augmentation, attitude hold, envelope protection, mode transition, and selected failure mode behavior.
• Document technical findings, risks, assumptions, and recommendations for design reviews and technical discussions.
• Support handling qualities evaluations using simulation results, pilot feedback, flight dynamics analysis, and applicable industry guidance.
• Assist in defining evaluation maneuvers, simulation cases, assessment criteria, and data review methods.
• Support pilot in the loop simulation activities to assess vehicle response, workload, controllability, and pilot vehicle interaction.
• Provide technical input to aircraft level design decisions influenced by handling qualities or pilot vehicle interaction.
• Support the development, maintenance, and use of flight simulation environments for CLAWS and handling qualities evaluations.
• Review simulation model assumptions, control law integration, interfaces, and model fidelity for aircraft response assessment.
• Support requirement verification activities using analysis, simulation, ground test data, and flight test data.
• Assist with test planning, preflight simulation, and post test data review related to control law and handling qualities evaluations.
• Work with other groups in Supernal to support integrated aircraft level technical reviews.
• Support multidisciplinary trade studies where control law behavior, vehicle dynamics, or handling qualities affect aircraft design decisions.
• Perform additional duties as assigned in support of Flight Sciences and aircraft development activities.

Job description

Colonial Group's Sr. Engineer, Control Law (CLAWS) & Handling Qualities Engineer supports air vehicle design, simulation, component test, and flight test activities through flight dynamics analysis, control law assessment, and handling qualities evaluation.

This role develops CLAWS models, integrates simulations, conducts handling qualities assessments, and collaborates with Supernal teams to inform design decisions and verification efforts across development stages.