Flight Controls Engineer

Company: Vertical Aerospace
Apply for the Flight Controls Engineer
Location: Bristol
Job Description:

Overview

As a Flight Controls Engineer at Vertical Aerospace, you will lead the development of Valo’s flight control laws and own a key control-law domain across disciplines. You’ll apply core control theory and certification experience to deliver an integrated, certifiable solution for a novel eVTOL programme. You will collaborate with flight dynamics, systems, software, and test teams to navigate design, verification, testing and certification milestones. Your work will directly influence safety-critical control performance on a rapidly scaling aerospace project.

Pay / Benefits

  • 26 days holiday
  • 5 extra days to buy/sell
  • 4% of salary to spend on benefits
  • Help@Hand digital health service
  • Company performance-based bonus
  • Company Share Scheme

Responsibilities

  • Design, develop and deliver flight control laws for Valo
  • Lead a significant area of control-law development from requirements to certification, coordinating technical delivery across teams
  • Develop and evaluate control-law designs using MATLAB, Simulink and model-based approaches
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including flight dynamics, systems, software, simulation, testing and certification
  • Support definition and validation of the FCL programme plan using certification experience
  • Address complex cross-functional engineering challenges beyond immediate scope
  • Make sound engineering decisions balancing performance, complexity, and programme needs

Key requirements

  • Strong grounding in classical control theory with practical aerospace experience
  • 10+ years in flight-control laws or GNC
  • Extensive hands-on MATLAB and Simulink experience with model-based design
  • Knowledge of aerospace standards including ARP-4754B, DO-178C, DO-331
  • Experience on aircraft development and certification programmes (CS-23, CS-25, CS-27, CS-29 or equivalent)
  • Ability to communicate technical decisions across disciplines and contribute beyond own area
  • Experience with modern control techniques (beneficial)
  • Experience in safety-critical GNC applications
  • cross-functional collaboration
  • clear technical communication
  • problem-solving under certification pressure
  • MATLAB
  • Simulink
  • model-based design

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Posted: October 18th, 2026