Specialist, Vehicle Modelling Engineer

Purpose of the Role:

• To develop world class vehicle and sub-system models.
• To deliver world class model correlation & functionality.
• To identify, quantify and action vehicle model opportunities through experience or data analysis.
• To feed observations to the department that aid car performance development.

Role Dimensions:

• This role sits within the Vehicle Modelling Group in the Vehicle Performance department.
• The role reports directly to the Head of Vehicle Modelling.
• The role is principally concerned with the derivation, implementation, correlation and improvement of vehicle model sub-systems including tyres, power unit, steering, brakes and suspension.
• The role requires collaboration with other Group staff to improve our simulation tool correlation.
• The role requires strong interaction with other Groups across Vehicle Performance and with Aero Performance, Race Engineering, Research & Development and Design departments.

Principal Accountabilities:

Improving the fidelity, correlation, performance and functionality of our vehicle models by:

• Developing and validating new sub-system models.
• Producing insightful, high-quality analysis in challenging timeframes.

• Innovating by proposing and developing new ideas and concepts.
• Specifying and executing physical testing of components and sub-systems.
• Analysing rig and track data for the purpose of correlating the vehicle model.
• Proposing novel techniques such as feature detection or regression methods to derive insight from data.
• Summarising model changes for stakeholders to share understanding of capabilities & limitations.

• Collaborating to identify opportunities for vehicle model improvement.
• Generating clear and well-documented code.
• Providing technical assistance and support to the broader team.
• Interacting effectively with other Vehicle Performance staff.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Master’s degree, PhD or equivalent in Engineering, Physics or Applied Mathematics or similar.
• Strong knowledge and conceptual understanding of vehicle physics.
• Objective, data driven approach to analysis.
• Proven ability to extract key data from a dataset and present in a clear, concise manner.

• Deep awareness of relevant simulation techniques & considerations.
• Extensive experience of vehicle sub-system modelling in F1, motorsport or a related field.
• Experienced user of:

• Matlab and Mathworks toolchain (required).
• Vehicle dynamics simulation tools (required).

• ATLAS 10 or similar analysis tools (required).
• Version control (required).
• C/C++ and Python (preferred).

Personal Attributes:

• A team player with the motivation, initiative & capability to work independently if required.
• Able to integrate quickly into the team, interacting effectively with others.
• Strong organisational, communications and problem-solving skills.
• Capability to concurrently engage on multiple projects with different stakeholders.
• Excellent communicator, able to target a variety of audiences and influence as appropriate.

• Works calmly and effectively under pressure.
• High attention to detail with an unbiased, objective approach.
• Innovative, moving us fearlessly forward by proposing new methods and ideas .
• Flexibility in working hours is required.

What can McLaren offer?

We strive to provide a fun, innovative, collaborative and open culture where everyone’s input is welcome, and everyone feels part of our achievements. We work hard to create a culture of continuous improvement, and support this with a pro-active approach to management and personal development.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre on the edge of Woking. Our large campus includes a gym, swimming pool, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park land. MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 32min train ride.

We encourage hybrid working patterns to give you options to balance your home life and hobbies with your work, and offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.