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Flight Performance Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

Draper

Senior Flight Software Engineer

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$82K - $220K/yr

... high-performance, fault-tolerant flight software for resource-constrained platforms across air ... The Senior Engineer will own the end-to-end software lifecycle-from requirements analysis and ...

Merlin Labs

Mechanical Engineer

Boston, MA

... performance industries. You are comfortable owning projects from concept through production and ... Support prototype builds, integration activities, ground testing, and flight test operations

Apply Early

Merlin Labs

Mechanical Engineer

Boston, MA

... performance industries. You are comfortable owning projects from concept through production and ... Support prototype builds, integration activities, ground testing, and flight test operations

Draper

Senior Flight Software Engineer

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$82K - $220K/yr

Senior Embedded Software Engineer Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development ... Analyzes designs to demonstrate performance and functionality. * Develops and executes software ...

Draper

Senior Flight Software Engineer

Cambridge, MA

$82K - $220K/yr

The Senior Engineer will own the endtoend software lifecycle-from requirements analysis and ... Analyzes designs to demonstrate performance and functionality. Develops and executes software tests ...

Merlin Labs

Electrical Engineer

Boston, MA

... crew and uncrewed flight. Backed by some of the world's leading investors, Merlin is scaling ... high-performance hardware applications. You enjoy solving challenging technical problems and ...

Merlin Labs

Electrical Engineer

Boston, MA

... crew and uncrewed flight. Backed by some of the world's leading investors, Merlin is scaling ... high-performance hardware applications. You enjoy solving challenging technical problems and ...

Apply Early

Specter Aerospace

Mechanical Engineer I

Peabody, MA · On-site

... andoptimizenovel flight systems to meet internal and customer performance requirements Job ... Fundamental understanding of mechanical engineering principles (statics, materials,thermo/fluids ...

MORSE Corp

Embedded Software Engineer

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

... performance. You will play a critical role in flight testing by defining test objectives ... and software engineering is strongly desired. Finally, the ideal candidate should be able to ...

Specter Aerospace

Vehicle Design Engineer II

Peabody, MA · On-site

The ideal candidate is a motivated engineer with a strong passion for aerospace and hands-on design ... flight systems to meet internal and customer performance requirements * Integrate subsystems ...

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Draper

Flight Software Engineer

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$75K - $156K/yr

The Software Engineer 2 develops high performance solutions for resource constrained targets. Develops next-generation resilient and fault tolerant software solutions in the application domains of ...

Draper

Flight Software Engineer

Cambridge, MA · On-site +1

$62K - $140K/yr

The Software Engineer 1 develops high performance solutions for resource constrained targets. Develops next-generation resilient and fault tolerant software solutions in the application domains of ...

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All JobsFlight Performance Engineer JobsFlight Performance Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA

Flight Performance Engineer information

See Boston, MA salary details

$12

$65

$106

How much do flight performance engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 5, 2026, the average hourly pay for flight performance engineer in Boston, MA is $65.30, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53.56 and $73.89 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Flight Performance Engineers?

Flight Performance Engineers are specialized professionals responsible for analyzing and optimizing the performance of aircraft during all phases of flight. They assess factors such as fuel efficiency, payload, climb rates, and range to ensure aircraft operate safely and efficiently. Their work involves using advanced software models, interpreting flight test data, and collaborating with design and operations teams to improve aircraft performance and meet regulatory standards.

What is the difference between Flight Performance Engineer vs Flight Test Engineer?

AspectFlight Performance EngineerFlight Test Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in aerospace, mechanical, or related engineering; often certifications in aeronauticsBachelor's in aerospace, mechanical, or related engineering; certifications in testing or aviation
Work EnvironmentAircraft performance analysis, in-flight data monitoring, and optimizationDesign, plan, and execute flight tests, analyze test data
Employer & Industry UsageAirlines, aircraft manufacturers, aerospace companiesAircraft manufacturers, aerospace testing facilities, defense contractors

While both roles involve aircraft and aeronautics, Flight Performance Engineers focus on analyzing and optimizing aircraft performance during flights, whereas Flight Test Engineers design and conduct flight tests to validate aircraft systems. Both roles require similar technical backgrounds but differ in daily tasks and objectives.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Flight Performance Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Flight Performance Engineer, you need a strong background in aerospace engineering, physics, and mathematics, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree. Proficiency in simulation software (such as MATLAB, Simulink, or flight performance analysis tools) and knowledge of regulatory standards are essential. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication skills set exceptional candidates apart in this field. These skills are critical for ensuring accurate performance calculations, regulatory compliance, and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to guarantee safe and efficient aircraft operations.

What are some common challenges faced by Flight Performance Engineers when collaborating with cross-functional teams?

Flight Performance Engineers frequently work with teams from avionics, propulsion, aerodynamics, and operations. A common challenge is translating complex performance data into actionable insights that are understandable to colleagues from different technical backgrounds. Additionally, aligning performance requirements with design and regulatory constraints often requires strong communication and negotiation skills. Successful Flight Performance Engineers proactively foster open dialogue and use data visualization or simulation tools to bridge knowledge gaps and ensure all stakeholders are aligned on project goals.
What are popular job titles related to Flight Performance Engineer jobs in Boston, MA? For Flight Performance Engineer jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Flight Performance Engineer jobs in Boston, MA look for? The top searched job categories for Flight Performance Engineer jobs in Boston, MA are:
Flight Performance Engineer jobs near you
Staff Engineer, Modeling & Simulation (R4869)

Staff Engineer, Modeling & Simulation (R4869)

Shield AI

Boston, MA • On-site

$150K - $220K/yr

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Job Description:
The Aircraft Simulation team turns frontier autonomy into mission-ready aircraft. We own the commit-to-flight pipeline-deterministic aircraft and mission simulation, HITL/SITL integration, CI/CD, and tooling for automated flight qualification testing. Our goal is simple: make AI fly-safely, reliably, and fast.
As a Staff Modeling & Simulation Engineer, you will be dedicated to Shield AI's next-generation aircraft program, contributing to our emergent modeling & simulation tooling. You'll design, build, and scale novel aircraft subsystem models, develop infrastructure that enables robust automated testing for our next generation XBAT product line, and conduct system performance analysis.
What you'll do:
  • Develop models and infrastructure for the integrated simulation pipeline in C++.
  • Design deterministic, high-performance simulation tools capable of faster-than-real-time execution for development, testing, and release.
  • Implement test scenarios and write unit, system, and regression tests.
  • Collaborate across autonomy, embedded, GNC, and test engineering to ensure the simulation mirrors real aircraft behavior and mission scenarios.
  • Contribute to platform-agnostic simulation tooling to accelerate current and future aircraft design and development efforts.
  • Perform verification and validation (V&V) analysis activities on modeling tools.
  • Conduct system performance analysis and generate reports and visualizations.
  • Utilize best practices in C++, simulation architecture, and performance engineering.

Required qualifications:
  • BS or MS in Computer Science, Aerospace, Robotics, or related field.
  • 7+ years of experience in simulation software development, with emphasis on modern C++ (C++17 or later) and performance optimization.
  • Strong understanding of rigid-body dynamics, kinematics, aerodynamics, and sensor mechanics.
  • Proven experience developing or integrating simulation systems for robotics, aerospace, and/or autonomous systems.
  • Ability to debug complex build and runtime environments (CMake, package management, logging, and profiling tools).
  • Experience with software testing tools (GTest, etc.)
  • Experience with simulation V&V.
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills across software, hardware, and systems disciplines.
  • Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Grasp of real-time and deterministic software design, including multi-threading, synchronization, and memory management.
  • Experience with DevOps-integrated simulation workflows, including CI/CD and automated hardware testing environments.
  • Working knowledge of Python for data analysis, test automation, or simulation orchestration.
  • Familiarity with aircraft and flight physics modeling.

$150,000 - $220,000 a year
#LI-SM1
#LD
Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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