Senior Propulsion and Aircraft Performance Engineer

Pyka is looking for a highly skilled Senior Propulsion and Aircraft Performance Engineer to lead the design, testing, and optimization of our propulsion systems for the cargo aircraft program. This role requires a deep understanding of propulsion technologies—including combustion engines, electric motors, batteries, and hybrid systems—alongside strong experimental and analytical capabilities. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to tune system performance, manage thermal loads, and optimize aircraft-level performance.

About Pyka

Pyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation.

To get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems. 

We design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes.

Today, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA. 

Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce C02 emissions in their respective industries. 

What you work on at Pyka makes people’s lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day. 

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate propulsion systems, including internal combustion engines, electric motors, and hybrid powertrains in the cargo aircraft.
• Lead bench and dynamometer testing to characterize propulsion system performance and support tuning and optimization.
• Develop and implement cooling and thermal management strategies for high-power propulsion components.
• Analyze aircraft performance metrics including range, endurance, climb rate, payload tradeoffs, and fuel/energy efficiency.
• Conduct performance modeling and simulation to inform design decisions and system architecture.
• Support flight testing data analysis to validate performance predictions and refine propulsion configurations.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in propulsion system design, development, or testing—ideally in aerospace, automotive, or UAV applications.
• Strong knowledge of internal combustion engines, electric motors, batteries, and hybrid systems.
• Experience with dynamometer/bench testing and performance tuning.
• Solid understanding of thermal management and cooling systems for power-dense components.
• Familiarity with aircraft performance fundamentals and basic aerodynamics.
• Strong hands-on skills and ability to work in a fast-paced prototyping environment.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with hybrid-electric propulsion architectures and energy management strategies.
• Knowledge of aircraft-level performance modeling and mission analysis tools.
• Familiarity with regulatory standards or best practices for aviation propulsion systems.
• Experience with data acquisition systems, sensors, and instrumentation used in engine and powertrain testing.
• Programming skills in Python/Matlab.

Company Perks

• $135,000-160,000 per year base salary + equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Salary ranges are subject to change.
• Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance
• FSA with employer matching
• 401(k)
• Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off
• Voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks

Export Control Requirements

This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls.  Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items. 

Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions.

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We do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.