Head of Flight Physics

Location: Farnborough

Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37 – Hybrid

Travel: Not expected

AALTO, a global leader in Stratospace, is an Airbus subsidiary that manufactures, operates, and delivers services with its solar-powered, stratospheric platform: Zephyr. Zephyr’s persistence enables continuous flight for months at a time, with a current flight-time record of over 67 days in the stratosphere. From above 60,000+ft, or 20km above ground, AALTO can deliver several applications including direct-to-device connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation.

AALTO operates in a new operational layer between most of air traffic and low-Earth orbit, Stratospace, where high-altitude platforms led by Zephyr deliver services to commercial and government partners. We can help monitor environments, observe borders, track natural disasters, and connect unconnected communities.

About The Role

As Head of Flight Physics, you will have overarching responsibility for the Zephyr Flight Physics activities needed to design, analyse, verify, and certify the aircraft, in the disciplines of Aerodynamics, Flight Control Laws, Flight Dynamics, and Flight Loads. You will be responsible for motivating and empowering a team of 3 flight physics specialists.

Responsibilities to include:

• Support the development of bespoke Aeroelastic, Flight Dynamics, and Aero Loads models collaborating with other Subject Matter Experts within Zephyr and wider Airbus teams (including centres of competence).
• Manage and develop the Flight Physics Team.
• Collaborate with Meteorology SMEs to capture the environmental conditions and limits of the platform.
• Defining and running computer simulations for the platforms (e.g. MATLAB & Simulink, CFD).
• Defining robust contingency Control Laws to maintain safe flight.
• Define the Control Laws and Algorithm Architecture for the on-board automation systems including Flight Controls System, Navigation System & Flight Sensor Management Systems.
• Avoiding over- and under-specification, ensuring software requirements are correctly and completely implemented in compliance with quality criteria.
• Establish qualification/verification processes and methods through the entire development cycle including flight test.
• Orchestrate the creation of engineering design data packs, flight clearance reports, and flight manual content in a concise and timely manner.

Skills and Knowledge Required

• An Engineering or Physics based degree with proven experience.
• Experience with unmanned autonomous air systems.
• Familiar with Flight Physics role within a wider Aerospace Company and how that fits in.
• Familiar with Flight Control Clearance processes in association with a Certifying Authority.
• Demonstrable experience of taking a system technical requirement and evolving it into a complete design solution.
• Algorithm architecture and detailed design documentation writing skills.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Using a range of CFD and/or FEA tools and methods.
• Wind Tunnel Test Campaigns.
• Flight Test & Trials.
• Knowledge of Airborne Software (Functional embedded C).
• Knowledge of Aircraft Stability and Control Augmentation.
• Automatic Flight Guidance and Control Systems (AFGCS) in certified aircraft.

In addition to an attractive market-aligned salary, we offer:

• Rewarding Excellence: Benefit from our short-term incentive plan that rewards your hard work and dedication.
• Enjoy Your Time Off: Benefit from 25 days of holiday to relax and recharge.
• Stay Healthy: We’ve got your health covered with private medical insurance, along with dental and optical cash back.
• Secure Your Future: Take advantage of our personal pension plan to ensure a comfortable retirement.
• Peace of Mind: Our income protection and life assurance schemes are there to support you when you need it most.
• Getting around: Drive the latest vehicles with our discounted salary sacrifice scheme.
• We Care About You: Our employee assistance programme is always available to provide the support you need.
• Perks Galore: Enjoy a range of employee discounts via Perkbox, from household goods to travel!

Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?

If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at AALTO, you can register your details here: