Principal Flight Physics Engineer

The Role

Electra is actively recruiting a Principal Flight Physics Engineer to lead the aerodynamic analysis, design, and testing of our 9-passenger eSTOL (electric short takeoff and landing), hybrid-electric aircraft. This position focuses on high-fidelity CFD, test data correlation, and performance and design evaluation, and as such is based in Manassas, Virginia.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the analysis and synthesis of aerodynamic data from CFD simulations, wind-tunnel experiments, and flight test results to support performance and design evaluations.
• Lead CFD analyses, including geometry preparation, mesh generation, solver execution, and post-processing of results.
• Understand program objectives and requirements to conduct trade studies and define architectures, requirements, and interfaces between systems.
• Lead the design and analysis of test and prototype systems, and provide hands-on support for test activities.
• Prepare and present gated design reviews to demonstrate the adequacy of the designs and procedures.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams (structures, controls, propulsion, systems) to gather data, integrate insights, and drive informed design decisions.
• Develop and maintain clean documentation of the design process, and mentor other engineers on the team.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You Bring

• Hands-on experience running and interpreting results from aerospace-focused CFD solvers such as Flow360, FUN3D, or similar high-fidelity solvers.
• Familiarity with mesh generation in Pointwise or a similar tool for external flows and complex geometry.
• Experience in Python for CFD data analysis, post-processing, automation, and workflow integration.
• Familiarity with Paraview for visualizing and understanding CFD flow field results.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a startup environment.
• A strong work ethic and the ability to independently meet and lead the areas described in the responsibilities and essential functions.
• Excellent organization and communication skills.
• Ability to adapt well to change.
• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related field; and
• 10+ years of experience in relevant discipline areas or an equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience.

Bonus Points

• Master’s or PhD degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related discipline, with emphasis on aerodynamics, CFD, or flight physics, strongly desired.
• Knowledge of flight vehicle dynamics, including aerodynamic forces, stability, and control principles.
• Experience with VLM-based analysis tools such as xRotor or AVL for lower-order aerodynamic assessment.
• Experience using Flow360 for external aerodynamic simulations, including validating results against test data.
• Strong software development capability in Python (preferred) or MATLAB, including automated post-processing workflows, custom analysis tools, and data pipelines.
• Familiarity with the aircraft development process, aircraft systems, and FAR Part 23 regulations.
• US Person (Citizen or Green Card) Preferred