For many fans of Formula One, the sport exists between lights and chequered flag on a Sunday afternoon. It begins and ends with the exploits of the drivers on the track. But this is merely the tip of the spear. The reality of modern F1 is that of a complex and intertwined operation, every part of which needs to perform near its limit if success is to be achieved. From the pit crew searching for the ultimate repeatable pit stop, to the inspiration of the designers, the application of engineers and the herculean efforts of an army of fabricators and machinists. Much of our success is thanks to the diversity of thought and spectrum of skill sets held within the team, our ability to recognise unique contributions from individual team members is just a part of why we love what we do.
Job Description
Red Bull Powertrains have several exciting opportunities to be a key part of our expanding Power Unit engineering team. Our open, dynamic environment ensures that everyone can make a valuable contribution and we are looking for several Durability Test Engineers (PU) to deliver World Championship winning Power Units year on year.
Working from our Milton Keynes factory you will be integrated within the Test & Validation Department of Red Bull Powertrains. As a Durability Engineer, you will play a crucial role in the development and optimisation of power unit systems for our Formula One team within strict durability targets. You will be responsible for ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and overall performance of the power unit systems during durability sign off tests, and full compliance with Powertrains durability objectives, while being a key point of contact with a wide range of stakeholders within the Powertrains business.
Key accountabilities of our Durability Test Engineers Role:
- Provide technical expertise and support during Formula One Power Unit durability events and support the trackside environment with bespoke, often short-notice, tests on the PU test bench. Monitor and analyse the performance and degradation of power unit systems, troubleshoot issues, and optimise power unit parameters based on real-time data.
- Analyse power unit telemetry data, including sensor measurements, engine performance, energy management, and fuel consumption within the scope of the FIA regulations. Identify areas for improvement, develop strategies for optimisation of PU durability data mining methods, and provide feedback and recommendations to the design and development team.
- Maintain accurate documentation of power unit system operations on the PU test bench, including reliability, lifing and performance over mileage data. Create clear technical reports and presentations to communicate findings, recommendations, and updates to the team and stakeholders.
- Collaborate with the design, development and trackside team to contribute to the ongoing improvement of power unit systems, focusing on areas such as power unit degradation characteristics, PU health, energy recovery systems health/safety and performance, cooling systems, FIA legality margins, and fuel efficiency.
- Collaborate with various departments within the Formula One team, including aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, and race strategy, to ensure the seamless integration of power unit systems with the overall vehicle performance, while understanding the implications of various integration strategies on PU durability and/or performance. Work closely with the trackside engineers and other engineering departments on data analysis to develop and implement ever-improving durability sign-off and correlation strategies to keep pace of trackside utilisation.
Experience and characteristics of our Durability Test Engineers Role:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (minimum 2:1) in motorsports, engineering or related discipline or equivalent qualification or experience
- Strong knowledge and understanding of power unit systems used in Formula One racing.
- Experience working in a trackside environment or on a PU test bench role for a Formula One team or in a similar motorsport environment
- Proficiency in data analysis and telemetry systems used in motorsports, such as Atlas, System Monitor, MATLAB, Simulink, or similar tools.
- Solid understanding of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, engine design, and energy management principles.
- Driven to succeed and win
- Evidenced experience of complex decision making and thinking when faced with imperfect data and challenging timelines
- Ability to work in a high pressured and fast-paced environment
Not only is this a fantastic Durability Test Engineer (PU) role, it is also a fantastic team to work in. A good salary is just the start, there are many other benefits too such as our bonus scheme, private health care cover, life assurance scheme, company contributed pension scheme, on site gym & fitness classes, free food, and a cycle to work scheme.
Mon, 18 Dec 2023