Simulation and Modeling Engineer

About the CompanyPowerus is building a next-generation American autonomous systems platform designed to move, protect, and sustain critical assets in high-consequence environments. The company combines advanced autonomy, manufacturing capability, operational expertise, and strategic acquisitions to support defense, national security, critical infrastructure, and commercial operations globally.MissionOur mission is to deliver resilient autonomous technologies that strengthen national security, improve operational safety, and expand the capabilities of organizations operating in complex environments.Why Join PowerusFlight test time is scarce, weather-dependent, and expensive, and there are failure cases nobody wants to discover with a real aircraft. Simulation is how Powerus buys confidence before those flights - and how the autonomy and control work gets exercised across thousands of conditions instead of the handful a test window allows. This role builds that capability from a strong starting point rather than inheriting a legacy environment. You will decide what the models must capture, stand up the hardware-in-the-loop rigs, run the Monte Carlo campaigns that expose the edges, and keep the whole thing honest by validating it against real flight data.About the RolePowerus is seeking a Simulation and Modeling Engineer to build and own the simulation environment behind our unmanned platforms. This position requires U.S. Person status, as the work involves access to export-controlled technical data. You will develop vehicle and flight dynamics models, integrate them with flight software through hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop setups, construct synthetic environments including sensors and terrain, and run large test campaigns whose results engineering can act on. Your closest partners are GNC, autonomy, embedded software, and flight test, and your credibility rests on how well the simulation predicts what the aircraft actually does.ResponsibilitiesDevelop and maintain flight dynamics, actuator, and vehicle system models across multirotor and fixed-wing platformsBuild and operate software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop environments that run real flight software against simulated vehiclesModel sensors, environmental conditions, and disturbances - wind, turbulence, degraded GPS, sensor noise and dropoutDesign and run Monte Carlo and parametric test campaigns to characterize performance and expose edge casesValidate models against flight test data, quantify model error, and drive the model back toward the vehicleBuild the automation and analysis tooling that turns large simulation runs into results engineers can useSupport GNC, autonomy, and software teams with scenarios for development, regression, and pre-flight risk reductionDocument model assumptions, fidelity limits, and validation status so results are interpreted correctlyQualificationsMust be located in the United States, within commuting distance of Charlotte, NCDegree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experienceExperience building or maintaining dynamic simulations of aircraft, vehicles, or robotic systemsStrong grounding in flight dynamics, rigid body mechanics, or control system modelingProficiency in Python and with MATLAB/Simulink or a comparable modeling environmentExperience validating models against measured test data, and a clear sense of where a model stops being trustworthyU.S. Person status required (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)); this role involves access to ITAR- and EAR-controlled technical dataPreferred SkillsHardware-in-the-loop experience with real flight controllers or avionicsFamiliarity with PX4, ArduPilot, ROS, Gazebo, or comparable simulation and autopilot ecosystemsAerodynamic modeling, CFD, or system identification from flight dataExperience with synthetic environments or sensor simulation for perception and autonomy developmentC++ for simulation performance or flight software integrationExperience running simulation as part of a formal verification or certification argumentPay range and compensation package[Pay range or salary or compensation]Equal Opportunity StatementPowerus is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and mission-driven workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.