Stability and Controls Engineer - Flight Sciences

The Stability and Controls Engineer will develop the analysis, models, requirements, and test methods that ensure BETA’s fixed-wing and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft are controllable, maneuverable, and exhibit safe handling qualities throughout the flight envelope—including off-nominal conditions. You will work closely with Flight Sciences, Flight Controls, Flight Test, Systems Engineering, and Certification to develop and validate aerodynamic and flight-dynamics models, inform control-system design, and support vehicle-level development and certification activities. The engineer will use simulation, laboratory, wind-tunnel, and flight-test data to drive design decisions for next-generation electric aircraft. This position will be based onsite at our South Burlington, VT office location, our Raleigh, NC office. Remote candidates may be considered for a hybrid role, with monthly visits to South Burlington, VT for in person work.

How you will contribute to revolutionizing electric aviation:

• Develop aircraft stability, controllability, maneuverability, and handling-qualities requirements for normal and failure conditions
• Perform preliminary control-surface layout and sizing to achieve aircraft controllability requirements
• Develop, document, and maintain aerodynamic and flight-dynamics simulation models of varying fidelity
• Apply handling-qualities criteria to aircraft and flight control system design, including fly-by-wire control-law development
• Conduct static, dynamic, and time-history analyses to evaluate aircraft performance against design and certification requirements
• Plan, support, and reduce data from wind-tunnel, laboratory simulation, and flight-test campaigns
• Analyze flight-test data; compare results with predictions; and use findings to update aerodynamic models, control-system requirements, and vehicle design
• Collaborate with Flight Test to define and execute test events that validate aerodynamic models, aircraft performance, and handling qualities across the flight envelope
• Support safety, system-development, and certification activities, including functional hazard assessments and compliance work aligned with applicable FAA requirements
• Work across Flight Sciences, Flight Controls, Structures, and other system teams to proactively identify opportunities to improve aircraft design, analysis methods, and test processes

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• At least 3–5 years of experience in aircraft stability and control, flight dynamics, handling qualities, flight controls, or related analysis and test disciplines
• Understanding of aircraft stability and control derivatives, handling qualities, and flight-dynamics analysis
• Experience developing or using aerodynamic, flight-dynamics, and control-system simulation models
• Experience with MATLAB, Python, and data-analysis tools
• Experience planning, executing, or analyzing results from wind-tunnel, laboratory simulation, and/or flight-test activities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly document technical analyses, test results, findings, and recommendations
• Curiosity and ability to identify and rapidly implement new analysis, modeling, and test approaches for next-generation aircraft
• Must be a US Person to be considered for the role

Above and Beyond Qualifications:

• Experience with fly-by-wire control-law development and augmented aircraft control systems.
• Experience conducting Handling Qualities Rating (HQR) and pilot-induced oscillation (PIO) assessments
• Experience with time-domain simulation, frequency-domain analysis, signal filtering, system identification, or control-system analysis
• Experience with stability and control analysis for vertical-flight or novel aircraft configurations
• Experience with 14 CFR Part 23, Part 25, or equivalent EASA certification requirements
• Experience supporting Functional Hazard Assessments, ARP4754A-based development activities, or other aircraft-system safety and certification processes
• Flight-test engineering experience, including test planning, data reduction, data expansion, and report generation
• Experience as an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER)