Manager, Aircraft Design & Performance

Responsibilities:

• Lead aircraft-level design, sizing, and performance development for electric aircraft platforms.  

• Own multidisciplinary vehicle trade studies including weight, aerodynamics, propulsion integration, mission performance, stability, controllability, thermal constraints, manufacturability, and operational capability.  

• Drive rapid concept iteration and down-selection using simulation, analysis, testing, and engineering judgment.  

• Develop and maintain aircraft performance models and sizing tools to support design decisions and program planning.  

• Define high-level aircraft architecture and guide configuration development from early concept through prototype and flight test.  

• Work cross-functionally with propulsion, structures, electrical, software, controls, manufacturing, and flight test teams to drive integrated vehicle development.  

• Lead technical decision-making under aggressive timelines and evolving program requirements.  
• Support wind tunnel testing, propulsion testing, flight testing, and correlation of simulation models to real-world data.  

• Mentor and grow a small multidisciplinary engineering team while maintaining deep individual technical contribution.  

• Identify technical risks early and drive practical engineering solutions with a strong bias toward execution and rapid iteration.  

• Help establish scalable engineering workflows, analysis methods, and development processes appropriate for a fast-moving aerospace startup. 

Qualifications:

Master’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or equivalent field 

Experience with eVTOL, UAV, or unconventional aircraft configurations.  

Experience developing conceptual and preliminary aircraft sizing tools.  

Experience with CFD and aerospace analysis tools such as STAR-CCM+, XFLR5/FLOW5, OpenVSP,  Simulia/3DEXPERIENCE, MATLAB, or Python.  

Flight test, prototype development, or rapid hardware iteration experience.  

Experience building internal engineering tools and automation workflows.  

Experience balancing technical performance with manufacturing and operational constraints.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in early aircraft development/sizing.  

• Comfortable owning major aircraft-level decisions with incomplete information.  

• Naturally gravitates toward first-principles engineering and rapid iteration.  

• Strong systems thinker capable of connecting aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, controls, and operations into a cohesive vehicle design.  

• Excited by ambiguity, rapid development cycles, and building unconventional aircraft with small, high-output teams. 

Attributes aligned with Core Values

Demonstrates a proactive safety mindset by embedding safety into daily operations, identifying and mitigating risks through assessments and training, encouraging open dialogue on safety concerns, and continuously improving protocols to ensure a safe work environment.
Puts customers at the center of every action by deeply understanding their challenges, delivering exceptional value, and striving to exceed expectations to support their success as our core purpose.
Actively seeks and values diverse stakeholder perspectives, builds cross-functional relationships, and fosters trust through empathetic, fact-based communication—committing to shared decisions for the greater good.
Drives results with clarity and purpose by focusing on what matters most, adapting to change, taking initiative, and owning outcomes while aligning actions with a clear understanding of success at every level.
Navigates ambiguity with resilience and bold thinking, challenges the status quo, and combines innovative ideas with practical best practices to overcome obstacles and drive progress.
Fosters a high-performance culture grounded in respect, professionalism, and support—balancing high expectations with a healthy, collaborative environment and being a trusted, dependable teammate.