Principal Electrical Engineer

Electra•Manassas, VA

15d•Onsite

About The Position

About Electra At Electra, we're pioneering hybrid‑electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft that redefine regional air mobility. Our technology enables operations from soccer‑field‑sized spaces, unlocking thousands of new locations and enabling what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, efficient, point‑to‑point travel closer to where people live and work. Headquartered in Manassas, VA, with additional operations in Switzerland, Electra is backed by industry leaders and advancing toward certification. We're a growing team of innovators working at the forefront of sustainable aviation-every hire plays a critical role in shaping the future of flight. The Role As our Principal Electrical Engineer, you will lead the development, integration, and optimization of the electrical power systems that enable Electra's flagship nine‑passenger EL9 aircraft. This is a high‑impact technical leadership role responsible for the architecture, performance, safety, and certification readiness of the aircraft's electrical systems-including power distribution, energy storage, conversion, and protection. You'll collaborate across propulsion, avionics, flight controls, and structures to ensure seamless system integration while driving engineering rigor, innovation, and reliability across the full aircraft lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field; Master's preferred
10+ years of experience in aircraft electrical systems design, integration, and certification
Strong understanding of 28 VDC aircraft power systems
Experience with electrical load analysis, wire harness design, and system integration
Proficiency with electrical modeling/simulation tools
Familiarity with EWIS, EMI/EMC testing, and environmental qualification
Experience with DO‑254 / DO‑178C processes
Proficiency with electrical CAD tools (Mentor Capital preferred)
Strong documentation skills across system descriptions, test plans, analysis reports, and certification artifacts
Excellent communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills
Demonstrated ability to lead technical reviews and influence stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Experience leading electrical system development for FAA Part 23 aircraft
Hands‑on experience with commercial certification processes
Background in hybrid‑electric propulsion or advanced electrical architectures
Supplier management experience
Familiarity with redundant power systems, fail‑safe design, and fault detection/isolation
Experience with requirements management tools (e.g., JAMA) or system modeling tools (MATLAB/Simulink)
Private pilot license a plus

Responsibilities

Lead electrical system architecture - Own the design of aircraft electrical systems including generation, conversion, distribution, and energy storage
Develop power budgets - Build and maintain power budgets, load cases, and trade studies to optimize efficiency and reliability
Define system‑level requirements - Establish electrical and power interface requirements, grounding strategies, EMI/EMC protections, and safety features
Drive cross‑functional integration - Partner with propulsion, avionics, flight controls, and structures to ensure compatibility and safe integration
Develop and execute test plans - Lead validation, HIL setups, bench testing, and lab testing
Evaluate suppliers and components - Qualify components and subsystems to meet compliance and reliability standards
Produce certification‑ready documentation - Generate schematics, wiring diagrams, ICDs, analysis reports, and certification deliverables
Mentor engineering teams - Provide technical leadership and guidance to junior engineers
Advance engineering processes - Contribute to continuous improvement in electrical systems engineering
Stay current on hybrid‑electric technologies - Track evolving FAA regulations, safety standards, and emerging technologies