Principal Systems Engineer, Aircraft Simulation and Design Integration

About the role

This role involves leading the integration of modeling and simulation throughout the aircraft design lifecycle. You will develop comprehensive aircraft simulations, assess different design options, and translate analytical findings into clear engineering decisions. This position requires close collaboration with various engineering teams to drive multidisciplinary design choices.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Oversee the creation, development, and validation of integrated aircraft simulations.
• Utilize simulations to guide aircraft configuration, subsystem sizing, requirements, and design trade studies.
• Combine models from aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, electrical, mass properties, controls, and mission performance.
• Lead multidisciplinary design optimization and sensitivity analyses.
• Quantify design margins, uncertainties, risks, and system-level impacts of proposed changes.
• Define appropriate simulation fidelity requirements for each development phase.
• Establish practices for model verification, validation, configuration management, and documentation.
• Correlate simulation outcomes with component, ground, and flight test data.
• Develop representative mission profiles and evaluate aircraft performance under expected operating conditions.
• Identify system interactions, integration risks, and performance limitations early in the design cycle.
• Present recommendations and trade-offs to technical leadership and program stakeholders.
• Mentor engineers and establish best practices for simulation-driven aircraft development.
• Support requirements definition, architecture reviews, design reviews, and certification activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, systems engineering, or a related field.
• Significant experience in developing or applying aircraft-level models and simulations.
• Strong understanding of aircraft performance, flight mechanics, dynamics, and multidisciplinary system interactions.
• Experience integrating models from aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, electrical, controls, or thermal disciplines.
• Proficiency with simulation and analysis tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C/C++, or similar platforms.
• Experience conducting trade studies, parameter sweeps, sensitivity analyses, uncertainty quantification, or optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to convert simulation results into actionable aircraft design recommendations.
• Experience with model verification, validation, test correlation, and configuration control.
• Strong technical leadership and cross-functional communication skills.

Nice to have

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with electric, hybrid-electric, autonomous, or advanced aircraft.
• Knowledge of multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization methods.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, or pilot-in-the-loop simulation.
• Familiarity with model-based systems engineering and tools like SysML.
• Experience supporting aircraft certification, safety analysis, or flight-test programs.
• Familiarity with CFD, finite-element analysis, propulsion-cycle modeling, electrical-network modeling, or reduced-order modeling.
• Experience developing digital engineering frameworks or aircraft digital twins.

Skills & tools

• MATLAB/Simulink
• Python
• C/C++
• SysML (nice to have)
• CFD (nice to have)
• Finite-element analysis (nice to have)

Practical notes

This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws. Employment offers may be conditioned on authorization to receive controlled software or technology without export license sponsorship. Mach participates in E-Verify to confirm work authorization in the U.S. Salary offers consider work experience, education, critical skills, and business factors. Highly competitive equity grants are typically included in total compensation. Benefits include health insurance, retirement plans, and professional development opportunities.