In this role, you will be at the core of enabling long-endurance, high-altitude flights for our next-generation solar-powered aircraft. You will develop sophisticated performance models and create the mission planning tools necessary to optimize flight paths based on complex environmental factors, ensuring mission success and pushing the boundaries of persistent flight. Responsibilities Performance Modeling: Develop, validate, and maintain high-fidelity, multi-disciplinary simulation models for the aircraft's key subsystems, including aerodynamics, propulsion, solar power generation, and battery energy storage. Mission Simulation: Create and run comprehensive simulations to predict aircraft performance, endurance, and operational limits across a wide range of atmospheric conditions and geographic locations. Trajectory Optimization: Design and implement algorithms to optimize flight paths and mission profiles, maximizing energy collection and minimizing consumption by analyzing weather forecasts (e.G., solar irradiance, wind patterns, cloud coverage). Tool Development: Build, enhance, and manage mission planning software and visualization tools that will be used by flight operations teams to plan and execute real-world missions. Data Analysis: Analyze flight test data to validate and refine vehicle performance models, identify discrepancies, and recommend improvements to aircraft design and operational strategies. Collaboration: Work closely with aerodynamics, GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control), and flight operations teams to define mission requirements, assess feasibility, and support live missions. Required Qualifications Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Aerospace, Mechanical, or a related engineering discipline. Strong foundation in aircraft performance, aerodynamics, and flight dynamics. Proficiency in a high-level programming language such as Python or MATLAB for modeling, simulation, and data analysis. Demonstrated experience in developing complex physics-based models from first principles. Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced team environment. Preferred Qualifications Master of Science (M.S.) or Doctorate (Ph.D.) in a relevant engineering field. Direct experience with solar-powered, electric, or high-altitude unmanned aircraft (HAPS). In-depth knowledge of photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery modeling and energy management systems. Experience with numerical trajectory optimization techniques and tools (e.G., GPOPS-II, CasADi). Familiarity with processing and integrating atmospheric and weather data (e.G., GFS, ECMWF) into performance simulations. Hands-on experience analyzing real-world flight test data.