Senior Manager, FAA Regulatory Compliance Engineer

Virgin Galactic•Tustin, CA

53d•$122,364 - $186,636•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced aerospace Senior Manager, FAA Regulatory Compliance Engineer to lead the critical activities that ensure regulatory compliance related to our vehicles and mission operations. Guided by our values, “Safety Above All”, we proactively manage the risks inherent in human spaceflight through our daily actions. This role sits at the interface between engineering, regulatory oversight, and mission assurance. You will lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for interpreting, applying, and shaping aerospace regulations and standards that govern our vehicles and missions. This is not a traditional program management role, success requires technical fluency, engineering judgment, and a track record of leadership in regulated aerospace environments. Support the company strategy by holding ourselves and one another accountable for getting the work done.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or technical discipline (STEM required) with a minimum of 8 years of aerospace or similar industry having technical regulatory requirements experience; a master’s degree with 8 years of experience; or a PhD with 5 years of experience.
Deep experience with aerospace systems, flight operations, manufacturing, or maintenance operations is a plus.
Demonstrated expertise of 14 CFR Part 450, Part 460, Part 440, Part 91, and related regulation sets.
Experience participating in our leading industry or regulatory initiatives (e.g., COMSTAC, CSF, SpARC, SpCDM).
Demonstrated project management skills and a history of delivering results.
Ability to multitask and effectively manage several parallel subprojects concurrently.
Superior communication and interpersonal skills, capable of fostering positive relationships with team members, stakeholders, and clients.
Demonstrate willingness to adjust thinking and behavior.
Ability to communicate in a manner that is timely, respectful, and open to other ideas
Demonstrate competence in teamwork, collaboration, planning, negotiating, decision-making, and leadership.

Nice To Haves

Certification in project or systems engineering (PMP, INCOSE ASEP).
Experience in flight test, mission assurance, or aerospace operations.
Familiarity with cross-domain regulatory concerns (e.g., airspace integration, spectrum licensing, human spaceflight safety).

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of 2-6 engineers and specialists in support of compliance needs and policy-making efforts.
Act as team liaison with program management to develop long-term project schedules, strategies, and deliverables related to compliance needs. Ensure those goals are met throughout the project's lifetime using systems engineering principles.
Act as team liaison to ensure operational processes are in-line with license approvals, industry guidance, and best practices.
Represent the team’s interests at enterprise and programmatic leadership meetings.
Represent company’s interest in regulatory working groups, rulemaking bodies, and industry coalitions.
Manage resource allocation, project timelines, and budgets to meet strategic goals.
Manage technical and programmatic risks, developing mitigation plans with cross-functional collaborators, and drive execution of the plans.
Coordinate with stakeholders in the preparation of data packages as required for documenting compliance activities.
Keep abreast of industry and regulatory trends, advising senior leadership on emerging policy impacts.
Approve artifacts supporting licensing, verification, and reporting standards as may be required by regulators (FAA, FCC, etc.) or program milestones.
Coach, train and transfer expertise to promote technical skill development to advance capability within the Spaceline Regulatory Affairs team.