Director, Flight Sciences

Radia, Inc.•Boulder, CO

About The Position

Radia is seeking an experienced Flight Sciences leader to oversee the development of WindRunner, a large Part 25 aircraft. This role is accountable for the Flight Sciences organization, encompassing aerodynamics, aircraft performance, loads and dynamics, stability and control, handling qualities, control laws, and mass properties. Reporting to the VP of Engineering and Chief Engineer, this hands-on technical leader will provide engineering expertise while ensuring the Flight Sciences team meets technical deliverables on schedule and within budget. The position owns Flight Sciences performance across technical quality, cost, and schedule, including requirements definition, task planning, integrated development schedules, certification planning, cost management, risk and opportunity management, and supplier integration. The leader will set priorities, plan team capacity, and adjust execution as the WindRunner program strategy evolves. Radia fosters a collaborative, creative environment that values simple, practical solutions to complex aircraft development challenges. The ideal candidate is technically strong, willing to dive into details and support the team directly when needed, and able to lead strategically across disciplines, suppliers, and program stakeholders.

Requirements

BS, MS, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering or a related technical field.
15+ years of experience in Flight Sciences
At least 5 years in technical leadership, people leadership, or functional management roles
Proven leadership capability combined with deep technical knowledge
Deep expertise in at least one Flight Sciences discipline and broad foundational knowledge across the Flight Sciences domains (aerodynamics, aircraft performance, loads and aeroelasticity, stability and control, control laws, handling qualities, mass properties, etc.)
Experience with all phases of the aircraft development lifecycle, from pre-PDR through certification
Experience on a Part 25 airplane development program, with strong understanding of certification requirements; Part 25 experienced preferred, Part 23 experience considered
Creative, curious, methodical and detail-oriented
Comfortable working effectively in a collaborative environment
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
Strong technical, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to suit the audience
Ability to lead across internal teams, external suppliers, contractors, and partner organizations.

Nice To Haves

Development experience on large transport category aircraft, such as Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, Boeing 777, or Stratolaunch Roc
Experience in a fast-paced design environment
Experience managing external contractors, suppliers, or engineering service providers
Experience with wind tunnel testing and/or flight testing

Responsibilities

Lead the Flight Sciences organization, including aerodynamics, airplane performance, loads and dynamics, stability and control, control laws, handling qualities, and mass properties.
Provide technical leadership, decision-making, and review authority across Flight Sciences disciplines to ensure solutions meet program, certification, safety, and performance objectives.
Guide recruiting, staffing plans, and organizational growth for the Flight Sciences team to support PDR, CDR, certification, and production readiness for WindRunner.
Ensure that all engineering processes and standards are followed by your team.
Work with systems engineering and certification teams to define regulatory requirements and means of compliance within the Flight Sciences domain.
Guide the Flight Sciences team with strategic planning, scheduling, budgeting, and overall project management.
Represent Flight Sciences in key design reviews, technical interchange meetings, certification reviews, and executive program reviews.