Senior Design Engineer – Airframe

Overview

In this role you own airframe designs from incomplete definitions, guiding them through design for manufacture, release, build and installation. You will connect airframe structures with powerplant and fuel-system interfaces across all-electric and hybrid aircrafts, making pragmatic decisions amid evolving evidence. You lead a team of design engineers to align partners and maintain delivery momentum without direct line authority. This is hands-on technical leadership focused on safety-of-flight readiness and certification support. You’ll work closely with manufacturing and flight-test teams to resolve issues and drive impactful outcomes.

Pay / Benefits

• 26 days holiday
• Bank holiday
• 5 extra days per year to buy or sell
• 5 extra days holiday for marriage or civil partnership
• Additional 4% of salary for extra benefits
• Help@Hand digital health and wellbeing service

Responsibilities

• Own airframe designs from incomplete definition through design for manufacture, release, build and installation
• Develop pragmatic design solutions balancing structural, manufacturing, integration, certification and programme requirements
• Approve and release engineering drawings, design data and technical reports
• Act as a checking signatory, ensuring data is accurate, complete and evidenced
• Coordinate internal engineers and contractors
• Integrate airframe structures with powerplant, fuel-system and other systems
• Collaborate with manufacturing, assembly and flight-test teams to resolve issues quickly and safely
• Build and collate verification and certification evidence for safety-of-flight readiness
• Challenge weak assumptions, manage technical interfaces and escalate safety risks clearly
• Mentor junior engineers and support their technical development

Key requirements

• Established experience delivering complex mechanical or structural designs in safety-critical or highly regulated environments
• Strong theoretical understanding of airframe structures with pragmatic engineering judgement
• Evidence of taking inherited or incomplete design through design for manufacture, release, build or installation
• Experience approving or checking engineering drawings, design data or technical reports
• Broad structural design experience with exposure to physical systems installation and multidisciplinary interfaces
• Understanding of the full product development lifecycle, including verification and certification
• Experience delegating technical work, setting priorities and coordinating delivery across engineers or contractors
• Confidence to make sound decisions under scrutiny and challenge work not supported by evidence
• Strong communication and organisation skills in fast-moving delivery environments
• Aerospace experience is valuable; CATIA V5 or 3DEXPERIENCE experience is advantageous

• strong communication skills
• excellent organisation
• mentoring and team leadership
• design for manufacture
• airframe structures and multidisciplinary interfaces
• powerplant and fuel-system integration

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