Staff Aerospace Engineer - Performance and Design

esaero; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness

PTO 120h

Life Insurance

HSA

401(k)

Paid Holidays

Casual Work Environment

Job summary

ESAero in San Luis Obispo, CA is seeking a Staff Aerospace Engineer focused on performance and design to join our on-site team. You will conduct aircraft conceptual design and sizing studies and analyze flight performance, propulsion, and aerodynamics to guide design decisions.

The role requires a B.S. in aerospace engineering and 9+ years of experience, with proficiency in MATLAB/Python and a strong ability to communicate results through reports and presentations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or equivalent.
• 9+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Proficiency with MATLAB and/or Python.
• Proficiency with aircraft flight performance analysis and conceptual design.
• Fundamental understanding of aerodynamics, stability & control, thermal, structures, electronics, systems engineering, optimization.
• MS Office proficiency (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong writing and presentation skills.
• Willing to relocate to San Luis Obispo, CA.

Responsibilities

• Conduct aircraft conceptual design and sizing studies.
• Analyze aerodynamics, propulsion, and flight performance.
• Set up and run vehicle and component optimizations.
• Perform analysis, simulation and trade studies for design decisions.
• Research technologies, methods, standards and regulations for aircraft design.
• Develop, test and implement software-based design tools.
• Lead, manage and serve as technical expert within area.

Skills

MATLAB

Python

Flight performance analysis

Conceptual design

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

OpenVSP

XFOIL

Simulink

Git

Job description

Staff Aerospace Engineer - Performance and Design

Job Summary

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero) is seeking a full-time Staff Aerospace Engineer - Performance and Design, to join our team in San Luis Obispo, CA. The Staff Aerospace Engineer will assist in the multi-functional product development of new aircraft design and control systems while collaborating with other engineering disciplines and project personnel.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Conduct aircraft conceptual design and sizing studies.
• Analysis of aerodynamics, propulsion, flight performance, etc.
• Setting up and running vehicle and component optimizations.
• Perform analysis, simulation, and engineering trade studies to support design decisions.
• Research about technologies, analysis methods, standards, and regulations to guide aircraft design.
• Develop, test, and implement custom software-based design tools.
• Leads, manages, plans, and functions as the technical or subject matter expert
• Responsible for identification and execution of continuous improvements
• Drives end-to-end technical strategy and execution within area of specialization
• Supports organizational learning through knowledge sharing, documentation, and training
• Contributes to long‑term strategic planning within the discipline
• Clearly communicate engineering ideas, progress, and results using written reports and oral presentations to supervisors, project managers, and customers.
• Collaborate with team members toaccomplishproject goals ina timelyfashion.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineeringor equivalent.
• 9+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Proficiencywith MATLAB and/or Python.
• Proficiencywithaircraftflight performance analysis and conceptual design.
• Fundamental understanding of related disciplines including aerodynamics,aircraftstability & control, thermal analysis, structures, electronics, systems engineering, computational optimization, etc.
• Proficiencywith the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong writing & presentation skills.
• Willing torelocateto San Luis Obispo,CA .

Desired Qualifications and Skills

• Master's degree in aerospace engineeringor equivalent and/or 5+ years of experience.
• Experience with Simulink, Python, VBA, C++, and/or other coding languages.
• Experience withOpenVSP/ VSPAERO, XFOIL, AVL,etc..
• Experience with CFD tools using Altair, OVERFLOW, or similar.
• Experience performing flight loads analysis.
• Experience setting up and running optimization tools.
• Experience using programming version control software such as Git.
• Experience with CAD modeling using SolidWorks or similar.
• Experience with requirements capture at theaircraftand/or systems level.
• Familiarity with the design ofaircraftand commonaircraftsystems.
• Familiarity with eVTOLaircraft.
• Familiarity with civil and military regulations for fixed wing and rotary wingaircraft.
• Familiarity with electric vertical takeoff / landing (eVTOL) design concepts.
• Familiarity with the urban air mobility (UAM) market space.

Comprehensive Benefits & Perks

• Health & Wellness:Choose from three health, dental, and vision plans - including a 100% employer-paid option covering both employees and their families.
• Paid Time Off:Enjoy 120 hours of PTO, 80 hoursaccruedplus anadditional40 hours of holiday break pay in addition to Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day off.
• Life Insurance:$25,000 employer-paid life insurance policy, with theoptiontopurchaseadditionalcoverage for employees and their families.
• Supplemental Coverage:Access optional benefits such as Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, and Critical Illness with Skin Cancer coverage.
• Health Savings Account (HSA):Take advantage of a tax-advantaged HSA to manage medical expenses.
• Retirement Savings:401(k) with a company match to support your financial future.
• Paid Holidays:Enjoy 9 paid holidays throughout the year.
• Work Environment:A casual dress code, complimentary snacks, and a welcoming company culture.
• Ideal Location:Work in an area that offers an outstanding quality of life - a perfect place to live, work, and play!

Company Overview

Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc (ESAero) is a leader in aerospace engineering, product development, and manufacturing, dedicated to delivering high-quality, innovative, and cost-effective solutions to the industry. We specialize incutting-edgesystem design, rapid product development, precision manufacturing, comprehensive testing, and technology demonstrations to support the evolving needs of the aerospace community. Committed to excellence, on-time delivery, and continuous growth, we invest in infrastructure to expand our manufacturing and aftermarket capabilities whilemaintainingthehighest standards of engineering services.

At ESAero, we don’t just build products, we engineer solutions that propel

the aerospace industry forward.

This position is fully on-site at ESAero in San Luis Obispo, CA

ESAero is an equal opportunity employer.

E-Verify participation required for employment.

All ESAero positions require US citizenship or US resident status.

Must be able to pass background check and drug test.

Hiring Range: $130-175k Salary/Exempt