Driver-in-the-Loop (Simulator) Development Team Leader

Location: Grove, England, gb

Company Description

For almost 50 years, Williams Racing has been at the forefront of one of the fastest sports on the planet, being one of the top three most successful teams in history competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. With an almost unrivalled heritage of engineering and racing F1 cars and unforgettable eras that demonstrate it is a force to be reckoned with, the British squad boasts 16 F1 World Championship titles to its name. 

Since its foundation in 1977 by the eminent, late Sir Frank Williams and engineering pioneer Sir Patrick Head, the team has won nine Constructors’ Championships, in association with Cosworth, Honda and Renault. Its roll call of drivers is legendary, with its seven Drivers’ Championship trophies being lifted by true icons of the sport: Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. The team has made history before and is out to make it again with a long-term mission to evolve and return to the front of the grid.

Job Description

Your mission will be to lead our elite DIL Development team, with the core mission to deliver a world-leading Driver-in-the-Loop simulation environment.

With major investment in this area - including a new state-of-the-art DIL simulator - this role will directly shape our simulation-led performance programme in a facility vital for validating vehicle concepts, optimising driver performance, and making mission-critical decisions that translate to on-track success.

About You:

We are looking for a team leader who can drive technical excellence while fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture in the team. The ideal candidate will be capable of guiding a multidisciplinary group, setting clear priorities, and ensuring alignment across the wider vehicle dynamics and performance groups, including, Race Engineering and Performance Optimisation.

You'll need to demonstrate sound decision-making under pressure, strong communication skills, and the ability to translate complex technical insights into actionable direction for both engineers and drivers. We are looking for someone who leads by example, supports the growth of their team members, and brings a balanced blend of technical depth, strategic thinking, and stakeholder

You have a strong technical background with substantial experience in Formula 1 or other high-level motorsport category. Working in areas such as Vehicle Dynamics, Performance, or Race Engineering, you bring strong leadership and team-management capabilities, along with practical expertise in operating and developing Driver-in-Loop simulators or comparable real-time simulation platforms such as Beckhoff, Speedgoat, or dSPACE.

The Mission:

• Manage a team of highly talented engineers, supporting their development and growth, while ensuring they meet the team's overall objectives.
• Push the boundaries of simulation to achieve the ultimate level of realism and correlation with our on-track reality. 
• Engineer a platform that delivers flawlessly repeatable and reproducible results, providing a trusted foundation for engineering development. 
• Instil a zero-downtime philosophy, predicting and eliminating any potential for lost operational time. 
• Maximise the velocity of the end-to-end process, from system start-up to the delivery of actionable, data-driven insight. 
• Develop robust, intuitive, and maintainable systems that empower our engineers and drivers. 
• Ensure the seamless integration of the DIL platform into the team's wider data and simulation ecosystem. 
• Continuously scout for emerging technologies and pioneering simulation techniques, strategically integrating innovations to maintain our competitive edge and define the future of F1 simulator. 

Core Competencies:

• Deep understanding of vehicle dynamics principles and their application in high-performance motorsport
• Proficiency in real-time simulation systems, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and software integration
• Understanding of motion platform systems and cueing algorithms
• Knowledge of data acquisition systems, telemetry analysis, and performance optimisation techniques
• Familiarity with version control systems and software development best practices

Key Skills & Experience:

• Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or related discipline (Master's degree preferred)
• Significant experience in Motorsport, Formula 1, or top-tier automotive either in Vehicle Dynamics, Performance, or Race Engineering
• Proven track record in a leadership or team management role
• Hands-on experience operating and developing Driver-in-Loop simulators or similar real-time simulation systems (Beckhoff, Speedgoat, dSPACE or equivalent)
• Demonstrated expertise in simulation and data analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, Python, Atlas or equivalent)
• Experience with rFpro or equivalent is a plus

Qualifications

Additional Information

#LI-KB1

Atlassian Williams F1 Team is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We are happy to discuss reasonable job adjustments.