Principal Vehicle Performance Engineer

About the role

The Principal Vehicle Performance Engineer will report to the Performance Director and be based at the Banbury headquarters. This senior role defines car performance targets, analyses vehicle handling, tyres and aerodynamics, and leads technical development across the Vehicle Performance Group.

Key responsibilities

• Support defining car and aerodynamic development targets aligned to performance objectives with the Performance Director.
• Develop class‑leading assessment approaches using Driver‑in‑the‑Loop simulators and offline tools to support wind‑tunnel weighting, aero and mechanical upgrades.
• Identify car weaknesses, prioritise improvement opportunities and deliver clear, actionable outputs.
• Deliver performance and vehicle‑handling analysis from simulation and track data.
• Provide functional technical leadership across Vehicle Performance Group activities and coordinate cross‑functional work with Aero, Vehicle Dynamics, Race Engineering.

Required profile

• Minimum BSc in a STEM subject; MSc or PhD preferred.
• At least 15 years of experience, including 10 years in Formula One vehicle dynamics, simulation and aerodynamic data analysis.
• Proven leadership in high‑pressure, performance‑driven environments and experience with FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations.
• Strong resilience, composure and ability to handle extensive travel and irregular hours.

Required skills

• Proficiency with MATLAB for scripting and data analysis.
• Experience with Microsoft Office 365.
• Familiarity with lap‑simulation and race‑car setup tools, including the McLaren Electronic Systems tool chain.
• Knowledge of symbolic and acausal modelling languages such as Modelica or SimScape.
• Object‑oriented programming skills in C# or C++.