Senior Performance Engineer

Grob Aircraft has been designing and building aircraft in Bavaria for decades - from trainers and composite airframes to some of the most advanced aeronautical structures in the world. Engineering excellence and precision manufacturing are what we do. Together with Helsing, our mother company and Europe's leading defence AI company, we are now taking on our most ambitious programme yet: the CA-1 Europa , Europe's first AI combat aircraft. This is not a study or a roadmap. We are designing, building, and testing - right now, right here. We are a hands-on team of engineers who build things that fly. We take pride in short paths from idea to prototype, in solving hard problems pragmatically, and in seeing our work take to the sky. We are looking for people who think the same way - and who understand that this work matters for the security and sovereignty of Europe. In this role, you will be responsible for the comprehensive flight performance assessment of our aircraft, from initial design through to certification. You will calculate, simulate, and evaluate key flight physics parameters — such as runway performance, climb gradients, stall speeds, cruise performance, and en-route limitations — and ensure that all designs meet the applicable standards or specifications (e.g. EASA CS, MIL STD, STANAG) and customer requirements. You will act as the technical point of contact for all questions relating to performance, limitations, and operational efficiency. Your Responsibilities Conduct flight performance analyses during the preliminary design phase and to ensure compliance with certification requirements. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and suppliers to generate relevant performance data. Analyze mission profiles using existing software. Further develop internal simulation tools and scripts to automate mission and preliminary design analyses. Define performance flight-test programs in close coordination with the Flight Test Team and test pilots. Validate and calibrate theoretical aerodynamic and performance models using real flight-test data. Your Profile Completed Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a comparable engineering discipline, with a strong focus on flight mechanics/flight physics. Professional Experience At least 5 years of relevant experience as a Performance Engineer in aircraft development. Strong knowledge of certification regulations CS-23/FAR 23 or CS-25/FAR 25, particularly Subpart B. Practical experience in flight-test support and flight-test data reduction. Methods & Tools Very good programming skills in Python (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas) and/or MATLAB. Familiarity with standardized performance calculation methods (e.g., ESDU, APP, etc.). Strong understanding of classical aerodynamics and flight mechanics. What We Offer We are a dynamic, family-owned company with short decision-making processes and an open-door culture. Enjoy a range of attractive benefits, including: ✈️ FLYING AT GROB Fly the GROB G115 in your free time (for PPL license holders) Access to the GROB TP flight simulator 🛡️ SECURITY & RETIREMENT Company pension scheme GROB accident insurance Contribution toward occupational disability insurance 💪 HEALTH & WELL-BEING EGYM Wellpass membership (employee contribution: only €24.90/month) Subsidized lunch (approximately 50% covered by the company) Free coffee and water ⚖️ WORK–LIFE BALANCE Bridge days off with flexible working hours DEKA working time account Childcare allowance 🎁 ADDITIONAL PERKS VIP tickets to FC Bayern Munich matches at the Allianz Arena Employee referral bonus Long-service anniversary gifts Corporate Benefits employee discount platform #LI-PB1 #LI-Hybrid