Senior Associate, PU Simulation Performance Engineer

At McLaren, our mission is to set the standard for high performance in sport. And everyone, in every part of the team, has a role to play. So if you want to test your ideas with the world watching... And measure your progress in milliseconds... And play your part in racing history... You belong here. High performance starts with you.

Purpose of the Role

• Creation, correlation and exploitation of our chassis and PU models to maximise performance into the 2026 season and new regulations, while in collaborative dialogue with our power unit partner, as well as internal teams across Performance, Control Systems, Vehicle Design and Race Engineering.

• To exploit car performance through optimisation of setup and developing new concepts.

• To support events as part of the Mission Control team monitoring vehicle performance in real time.

Principal Accountabilities

Identifying opportunities to improve car performance through:

• High fidelity powertrain models, maximising integration with car simulation toolchain.

• Collaborating across internal and external stakeholders.

• Pre-event PU simulations that explore chassis and power train performance across a range of conditions.

• Mission control-based event support, using live analysis of on-track running to optimise chassis and power train exploitation through the race weekend.

• Producing quality, audience-appropriate analysis in challenging timeframes.

• Creating or developing tools to improve the performance analysis.

Role Dimensions

• This role sits within Vehicle Performance, within the Performance Analysis Group.

• This role will require weekend work to support F1 race events, UK-based.

• The role reports directly to Head of Performance Analysis within Vehicle Performance.

Job requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree or higher within a relevant engineering discipline, or equivalent qualifications.

• Strong analytical skills underpinned by a data driven approach.

• Proven experience in a PU performance role in high-level Motorsport.

• Deep understanding of how a car's systems interact to affect performance.

• Previous exposure to track/race/simulator environment.

• Skilled in programming languages like Python, C++, or MATLAB/Simulink for data processing and tool development.

• Experience with the McLaren Applied toolset for vehicle and control code simulation would be advantageous (MCT, System Monitor, ATLAS, vTAG-PC).

Personal Attributes

• An ability to work effectively and calmly under pressure.

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to resolve complex technical challenges quickly.

• A strong motivation to drive performance, through detailed analysis and simulation work.

• First class written and oral communication skills.

• High attention to detail and an ability to take an unbiased approach to all tasks.

• A team player with a positive outlook and a ‘can do’ attitude.

• Proven capability to collaborate across functions.

• Adaptability to the demanding workload and flexibility to support race weekends as required.

• Ability to stay updated with rapidly advancing technology and implement new solutions.

What McLaren can offer?

We constantly strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our ambition is to be the most pioneering and exhilarating racing team in the world, and our collective task is to set the standards for high performance in sport. We show up every day with energy and enthusiasm, ready to play our part.

We encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion. We will actively promote a culture that values difference and eliminates discrimination in our workplace.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) near Woking. Our state of the art, sustainable campus offers many facilities including a gym, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park and common land. The MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 30 minute train ride.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.