Lead Certification Engineer

Elevate Aircraft Seating; Kaiserslautern; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Company pension scheme

Bicycle leasing program

Corporate Benefits platform

Open, collaborative working atmosphere

Job summary

Elevate Aircraft Seating LLC in Kaiserslautern seeks a Lead Certification Engineer to steer airworthiness, certification strategies, and regulatory compliance across aerospace products. You will collaborate with engineering, customers, and authorities to deliver compliant solutions from concept to market.

You will lead SMEs, review data packages, and mentor teams while driving continuous improvement in certification processes and industry alignment. English and German fluency required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering or equivalent experience.
• 2–3 years of relevant professional experience.
• Excellent knowledge of English and German (written and spoken).
• Knowledge of (E)TSO processes and general EASA regulations.
• Willingness to travel on business.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
• Very good communication skills with internal and external personnel.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the SME for airworthiness and certification requirements across assigned programs and products.
• Define and lead certification strategies, certification plans, and regulatory compliance approaches.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance on certification and regulatory matters to engineering, PM, and leadership teams.
• Act as the principal interface with regulatory authorities, customers, and industry stakeholders.
• Lead the assessment and interpretation of new and evolving regulatory requirements and determine their impact on product development and certification strategies.
• Drive certification activities throughout the product lifecycle and ensure milestone achievement.
• Review and approve certification data packages, compliance documentation, test plans, and means of compliance.
• Provide oversight for certification testing, conformity activities, and validation efforts.
• Support engineering teams by identifying certification risks and providing compliant solutions.
• Establish and improve certification processes, procedures, tools, and best practices.
• Mentor and develop engineers and certification specialists.
• Lead complex certification projects and resolve regulatory or technical issues with business impact.
• Represent the organization in client meetings, audits, regulatory reviews, and industry groups.
• Monitor regulatory developments and provide strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement of certification capability and competitive positioning.

Skills

Organizational skills

Self-motivation

Deadline-driven

Independent worker

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication skills

Teamwork

Bilingual English/German

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in engineering

Job description

Since 2018, Elevate Aircraft Seating has been enhancing the passenger experience through innovative aircraft seat design and manufacturing. With locations in California, Washington, and Germany we are guided by creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to quality.

For the Engineering division at Elevate Aircraft Seating in Kaiserslautern, we are looking for skilled

Position Overview

As a Lead Certification Engineer, you will be at the forefront of ensuring the airworthiness and regulatory compliance of our innovative aerospace products. You will shape certification strategies, guide complex certification programs from concept to approval, and serve as the trusted expert for certification and regulatory matters across the organization. Working closely with engineering teams, customers, and regulatory authorities, you will play a key role in bringing cutting-edge solutions to market while driving excellence, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Your Duties – (Other duties and projects may be assigned or requested)

• Serve as the primary Subject Matter Expert (SME) for airworthiness and certification requirements across assigned programs and products.
• Define and lead certification strategies, certification plans, and regulatory compliance approaches in alignment with business and program objectives.
• Provide technical leadership and authoritative guidance to Engineering, Program Management, and Leadership teams on certification and regulatory matters.
• Act as the principal interface with regulatory authorities, designated representatives, customers, and industry stakeholders regarding certification and compliance activities.
• Lead the assessment and interpretation of new and evolving regulatory requirements and determine their impact on product development and certification strategies.
• Drive certification activities throughout the product lifecycle, ensuring timely achievement of certification milestones and program deliverables.
• Review and approve certification data packages, compliance documentation, test plans, and means of compliance prior to submission to regulatory authorities.
• Provide oversight and guidance for certification testing, conformity activities, and validation efforts to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
• Support engineering teams during product development by identifying certification risks early and providing compliant technical solutions.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve certification processes, procedures, tools, and best practices across the organization.
• Mentor and develop engineers and certification specialists while promoting technical excellence and regulatory knowledge within the team.
• Lead complex certification projects and resolve highly challenging regulatory or technical compliance issues with significant business impact.
• Represent the organization in customer meetings, audits, regulatory reviews, and industry working groups as the recognized certification authority.
• Monitor emerging industry trends, regulatory developments, and certification policy changes, providing strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen organizational certification capability, regulatory compliance, and competitive positioning.

Your Qualification

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering or equivalent experience.
• 2-3 years of relevant professional experience required.
• Exceptional organizational skills, self-motivation and a sense of urgency and sensitivity to deadlines.
• Demonstrated knowledge of, and the ability to analyze, regulatory requirements and advisory materials.
• Very good communication skills with internal and external personnel at all levels.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a broader team.
• Possess strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent knowledge of English and German languages (both written and spoken).
• Knowledge of (E)TSO processes and general EASA regulations.
• Knowledge of dynamic and static testing processes and procedures.
• Willingness to travel on business is required.

What can you expect from us:

• Exciting opportunities for both professional and personal development.
• The freedom to contribute your own ideas while working in an international environment.
• 30 days of annual leave, attractive remuneration package, and a company pension scheme.
• Access to a bicycle leasing program and our Corporate Benefits platform.
• An open, collaborative, and appreciative working atmosphere.
• In addition, we compensate for up to three public holidays per year that fall on a weekend by granting an additional day off during the week.

Our diversity makes us strong! Elevate Aircraft Seating believes in the principles of equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. For this reason, incoming applications are selected based on professional qualifications and fit with our corporate values, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual identity, nationality, severe disability or equality or age.