Vehicle Performance & Simulation Group Lead

GM Performance Power Units - Concord, NC

Vehicle Performance & Simulation Group Lead - Onsite

Job Summary

GM Performance Power Units is seeking a highly motivated Vehicle Performance & Simulation Group Lead to support the development, testing, and trackside operations of our Formula 1 Power Unit. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, this role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a foundational area of our F1 program and assist in building a world-class vehicle performance & simulation team. The Vehicle Performance & Simulation Group Lead is the department's authority on how power unit performance parameters translate into on-track results, and their outputs directly shape power unit development priorities, energy management strategy, and race weekend decision-making that will lead to race wins for our advanced hybrid power unit, targeted for debut with the Cadillac F1 Team in 2029.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, manage, and develop the Vehicle Performance & Simulation team of 6–10 engineers, setting clear individual goals aligned to the broader Power Unit Utilization program objectives and holding the team accountable for delivery against them.
• Conduct regular one-on-ones, performance reviews, and career development conversations, actively investing in each team member's growth and ensuring the team retains and develops the talent needed to sustain a competitive simulation program.
• Drive hiring and onboarding for the VPS team. Define role requirements, participate in candidate evaluation, and ensure new team members are integrated effectively and contributing quickly.
• Manage team workload and resource allocation across the competing demands of in-season race support, development simulation work, and tool infrastructure improvement, making prioritization calls clearly and transparently when capacity is constrained.
• Represent the VPS team in Power Unit Utilization leadership discussions, advocating for the team's resource needs, communicating program status accurately, and contributing to department-level planning and decision-making.

Power Unit Performance Simulation

• Own and develop the GM PPU suite of physics-based 1D power unit simulation models using Simulink, GT-SUITE/GT-Power or equivalent platforms, ensuring models are continuously correlated against dyno test and race data.
• Direct power unit performance analyses and parameter sensitivity studies across the operating envelope to identify performance headroom and inform calibration and development priorities.
• Define and maintain the power unit performance database, overseeing simulation parameter inputs, model versioning, and plausibility validation to ensure team outputs are reliable and traceable.

Vehicle-Level Lap Time Simulation

• Develop and maintain GM PPU's lap time simulation capability, building a full vehicle simulation framework that integrates power unit output with aerodynamic, tire, and vehicle dynamics models to predict circuit-specific lap time performance and sensitivity to power unit parameters.
• Direct circuit-by-circuit lap time analyses and performance sensitivity studies ahead of each race event, quantifying the lap time influence of power unit mode selection, energy deployment strategy, fuel load delta, and thermal operating limits.
• Establish model parameterization, correlation, and validation processes that ensure the simulation environment produces trustworthy lap time predictions, continuously updated as new hardware and operational data becomes available.

Energy Management & Race Strategy Simulation

• Direct ERS deployment strategy modeling, fuel saving scenario analysis, and battery state-of-charge profiling across circuit lap types, supporting the Controls & Electronics team in developing and validating energy management maps.
• Provide power unit performance inputs that feed into race strategy tools and pit stop modeling used by the Trackside team and Cadillac F1 chassis engineers.
• Oversee VPS team participation in Driver-in-the-Loop (DIL) simulator sessions where power unit performance and energy management strategy are being evaluated.

Simulation Tool Development & Infrastructure

• Set the technical direction for the VPS team's simulation toolset, identifying capability gaps, making build-vs-buy decisions, and prioritizing tool development work against in-season delivery demands.
• Drive the development of Python, MATLAB, or Simulink scripting and automation across the team, improving workflow efficiency and report consistency within the race calendar cadence.
• Collaborate with the Reliability Data Engineer and Controls & Electronics team to integrate simulation environments with live telemetry data pipelines, enabling rapid model correlation following each race weekend or dyno session.

Required Qualifications

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline with a strong analytical and simulation emphasis.

• 10+ years of engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a performance simulation, powertrain development, or vehicle performance engineering role within F1, top-tier motorsport, or high-performance automotive.
• Demonstrated experience leading or managing a team of engineers, including goal setting, performance management, hiring, and workload prioritization, in a fast-paced, program-driven environment.
• Proven track record of owning a simulation function end-to-end: setting technical direction, managing tool infrastructure, and being accountable for the quality and timeliness of outputs delivered to engineering and operations stakeholders.
• Experience operating at the interface between a simulation team and trackside or race operations, translating simulation outputs into actionable guidance under race weekend time pressure.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in 1D powertrain simulation using GT-SUITE/GT-Power or equivalent (AVL BOOST, Ricardo WAVE); demonstrated ability to build, validate, and maintain production-quality engine and ERS system models.
• Strong working knowledge of vehicle-level lap time simulation using established tools or with demonstrated ability to build equivalent capability in a new program environment.
• Sound understanding of vehicle dynamics, race car performance fundamentals, and the quantitative relationship between power unit output parameters and lap time.
• Proficiency in MATLAB and/or Python for simulation scripting, automation, and data post-processing; Simulink experience advantageous.
• Experience with F1 data analysis tools (ATLAS or equivalent) for correlating simulation outputs against dyno and race telemetry.
• Deep understanding of hybrid powertrain architecture — ICE combustion behavior, turbocharger interaction, MGU-K integration, and ERS energy management — sufficient to technically lead a team building credible system-level models.

Leadership & Interpersonal & Organizational Skills

• A leader who sets high standards, gives direct feedback, and invests genuinely in the development of the people around them.
• Strong communicator who can translate complex simulation outputs into clear engineering and strategic insight for specialist peers, cross-functional teams, and program leadership alike.
• Comfortable holding the team accountable for results while maintaining a culture where engineers feel supported, challenged, and motivated.
• Able to make clear prioritization decisions when demand exceeds team capacity and to communicate those decisions transparently to stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience as a simulation team lead or group manager within an F1 power unit manufacturer or F1 chassis team.
• Experience building a simulation team or function from an early stage, defining roles, hiring engineers, and establishing processes in a program that was scaling toward competition.
• Background in ERS energy management strategy development and DIL simulator integration with power unit performance models.
• Familiarity with FIA Technical Regulations as they pertain to power unit performance parameters, fuel flow limits, ERS deployment rules, and homologation constraints relevant to simulation boundary conditions.
• Experience developing automated simulation pipelines that update models from live telemetry data following each race event or test session.

Why Join Us

Ready to be part of a team that pushes boundaries both on and off the track? At GM Performance Power Units, we are developing a new era of performance for the Formula 1 grid. Joining us means entering a startup racing environment backed by a legacy of engineering excellence, giving you the rare opportunity to help build a world-class program from day one. We believe in rewarding innovation and powering potential. As part of our team, you’ll benefit from a competitive and comprehensive package designed to support your performance, well-being, and future, helping you thrive at every level.

That includes access to:

• Bonus scheme
• Private healthcare
• 401(k) plan including company match
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage
• 32 days annual leave (including holidays)
• Free financial advisor access
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Subsidized on-site dining
• On-site gym
• Discounted GM vehicle purchase/lease program
• Free on-site EV charging for personal GM vehicles

It’s all part of our commitment to creating a workplace that’s as high-performing and forward-thinking as the people who make it succeed.

Join us and help power what’s next.

You’ll play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and performance of a next-generation Formula 1 power unit. Our culture rewards precision, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of performance.

Please note: GM Performance Power Units and all affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity employer(s). Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information regarding the EEOC, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf.

Only direct hires need apply to or inquire about job postings at GM Performance Power Units. We are not accepting calls, resumes or applications from recruiting firms at this time.