Sr Principal Aerospace Engineer - Aircraft Certification

Sierra Nevada Corporation•Plano, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Aviation, and Security (IAS) business area at Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is a leader in ISR and aviation, specializing in manned and unmanned aircraft systems integration for innovative, high-performance ISR and aviation systems. Their capabilities span design, integration, test, certification, ground/flight training, and complete logistics support, consistently delivering solutions on time and on budget. SNC is applying its expertise to the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) mission, aiming to modernize and deliver the next-generation SAOC aircraft for critical command, control, and communication during national emergencies. As an aerospace engineer supporting aircraft certification, this role involves the design, development, analysis, testing, FAA certification, and military certification of the highly integrated SAOC aircraft program. Technical duties include certification oversight of designs, analysis, and testing of new aircraft modifications throughout the product lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor's of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or other related discipline and typically 10 or more years of relevant experience
Higher education may substitute for relevant experience
Practical knowledge of engineering principles and practices
Understanding of Computer Aided Engineering tools and Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Experience working in multi-disciplinary design and development teams
Ability to obtain/maintain a Secret U.S. Security Clearance is required

Nice To Haves

Background in the Aerospace and Defense Industry.
Experience working with FAA certification projects.
Experience in any one of the following subjects: Airborne Electronic Hardware and Software, Cybersecurity, ETOPS, Systems Safety Analysis, Human Factors, Aircraft Electrical Systems Design, Aircraft Structural Analysis and Test.
Experience working in an ODA or as an ODA UM or FAA DER.
Experience working with military aircraft certification using MIL-HDBK-516 criteria.

Responsibilities

Primary point of contact with ODA UMs and FAA DERs and manage their priorities and tasks related to the program, including submitting data to the appropriate UMs and DERs and managing their approvals.
Provide guidance to engineering concerning what certification processes and engineering artifacts are required for the company to show compliance.
Lead certification working groups to ensure that the program is on track with the certification requirements and to provide/receive status updates from engineering, UMs & DERs, and the FAA.
Coordinates presentations to the FAA to inform them and gather their input on compliance issues.
Coordinates with engineering to create Certification Plans, Certification Basis, Issue Papers, and petitions for exemptions.
Coordinates with USAF for compliance to MIL-HDBK-516 in support of the MTC and produces CDRLs for customer submittal and approval as required.