The company:
Williams’ core competencies are the design and development of racing cars to compete in the Formula One World Championship. As one of the world's leading Formula One teams, the company has secured 16 FIA Formula One World Championship titles since its foundation in 1977 and is now moving into an exciting era under new ownership defined by relentless innovation and living sustainable performance in every dimension.
Job Title: Senior Vehicle Dynamics Engineer – Performance Simulation
Reports To: Performance Simulation Team Leader
Direct Reports: Performance Simulation Industrial Placement Students
Department: Vehicle Dynamics
We are looking for a Senior Vehicle Dynamics Engineer to join our Performance Simulation Team to deliver continuous improvement of vehicle models and simulation tools.
This role would be ideal for an exceptional candidate with 4+ years’ experience within a similar discipline. The successful candidate will develop and maintain simulation tools within the scope of the Vehicle Dynamics Group.
As a Senior Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, you will contribute to the team’s success by:
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Supporting the PS Team Leader in the creation of the PS Team strategy.
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Understanding and quantifying all performance factors, including driver interaction.
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Parameterising the vehicle models (e.g. from track data, rig data, DIL, etc.) to ensure good correlation.
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Evaluating performance effects of design or setup changes
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Optimising design specifications and supporting track setup decision-making.
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Development and maintenance of the PS Code Library and Inference toolset.
Key objectives & duties:
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Supporting the PS Team Leader in setting the objectives and task priorities for the group, aligning with the Vehicle Dynamics department objectives
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Car performance fundamentals - define and develop the process, tools and experiments to evaluate (and understand) the lap time influence of all features of the vehicle.
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Driveability fundamentals – define and implement a plan to understand the influence of dynamics and stability on lap time (including driveability, controllability, balance etc.), and apply this learning in the development of “next generation” desktop dynamic simulation tools.
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Inference & analysis toolset – specify and support the development of tools to support model parameterisation, simulation correlation/validation and track performance analysis
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Future Car programme support – Provide the car performance data required for the business, and identify and drive the development of new concepts
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Parameterisation and Correlation – define, achieve and maintain good correlation of simulation tools to reality, in order to ensure that all simulation outputs give realistic results (especially with respect to their sensitivities to any changes/sweeps), and monitor the results over time, including the planning and analysis of rig testing (K&C, MPR, MOI, etc)
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Managing junior members of Performance simulation –
- Defining their objectives – work generally expected to be in direct support of tasks above, and
- Mentoring, guiding and supporting their development to make them as effective as possible.
As a Vehicle Dynamics Engineer, you will have:
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Excellent technical ability, with a strong degree in engineering or a related discipline.
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Experience in Simulation development, vehicle modelling, data analysis, and programming is expected.
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Programming experience with: C++, Python or MATLAB
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Knowledge of or experience with optimal control solvers (IPOPT) and nonlinear optimistion (Knitro) is advantageous but not required.
You'll also need to be:
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Self-motivated and able to generate innovative ideas.
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Organisational with the ability to prioritise tasks and deliver to agreed deadlines.
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Someone who enjoys new challenges and solving problems.
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Collaborative, with good teamwork skills.
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Committed to continuous improvement.
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Willing to work extra hours to meet important deadlines.
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Willing to work unsociable hours at times during event support (typically race weekend Fridays only).
This job description is not exhaustive and, from time-to-time, the job holder will be required to carry out tasks in addition to the above that will be both reasonable and within their capabilities.
What can Williams offer?
The Williams Group is based in multi acre complex located in Grove, Oxfordshire. The Williams Group offers a competitive holiday package, staff events/open days, a subsidised restaurant on site and various car schemes. We have an on-site gym (open 24 hours a day) as well as various fitness classes including outdoors bootcamps, pilates and yoga free for all staff and contractors to use. Aside from these benefits we can offer free onsite parking and large open green spaces to unwind during breaks. We are a based just 30 mins from Oxford City Centre by bus.
Williams is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We are happy to discuss reasonable job adjustments