Flight Dynamics & Control Engineer

Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability At Hypersonica , we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast. As our Flight Dynamics & Control Engineer, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously. We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence. What you'll do

• Model and analyse the full flight dynamics of hypersonic vehicles across boost, glide, and terminal phases, from first principles through flight validation.
• Develop high-fidelity 6-DoF simulations capturing aerodynamic, propulsion, structural, and control coupling effects across extreme Mach and thermal regimes.
• Characterise vehicle stability, controllability, and dynamic response under highly non-linear, time-varying conditions.
• Define and validate aerodynamic databases and dynamic models that underpin guidance and autopilot design.
• Work closely with GNC, structures, propulsion, and test teams to ensure models reflect physical reality and inform real design decisions.
• Identify critical sensitivities, instabilities, and edge cases early, shaping vehicle architecture and control strategies accordingly.
• Support ground and flight testing by analysing telemetry, reconstructing trajectories, and closing modelling assumptions rapidly.
• Own the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle as a system, ensuring performance, robustness, and physical credibility under adversarial conditions. Who you are
• A flight dynamics, control, or aerospace engineer with 2+ years’ experience modelling high-speed or highly dynamic vehicles in aerospace, space, or defence.
• Deeply grounded in rigid-body dynamics, aerodynamics, and non-linear system behaviour, with strong intuition for how vehicles actually move.
• Experienced building and using 6-DoF simulations as engineering tools, not academic exercises.
• Comfortable reasoning across multiple regimes (subsonic to hypersonic, powered and unpowered flight), including transitions and edge cases.
• Strong in first-principles modelling, able to question aerodynamic data, assumptions, and simplifications rather than accepting them blindly.
• Able to connect physics to control, understanding how dynamic behaviour constrains or enables guidance and autopilot performance.
• Pragmatic about fidelity — knowing when to increase model complexity and when to simplify to move fast.
• Motivated by seeing models meet reality in test and flight, and iterating rapidly when they don’t.
• Energised by owning vehicle behaviour in a small, high-tempo team where dynamic performance is mission-critical. What we offer
• A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.
• Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.
• High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.
• A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.
• A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.
• Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy. At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply. Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential. You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.