Aerospace Certification Lead: Compliance & Airworthiness

Missionat Vertical Aerospace; Bristol; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days holiday, plus bank holiday

5 extra days per year to buy or sell

5 extra days holiday when you marry or

4% of salary to spend on benefits

Help@Hand digital health service

Company performance-based bonus

Company Share Scheme

Company Pension Scheme 5% matched

Breakfast every day

Job summary

Vertical Aerospace seeks an experienced Certification Lead to drive the certification strategy across multiple aircraft domains. You will interact with civil authorities, develop plans, and oversee V&V campaigns to ensure timely approvals.

You will manage a team of certification specialists, identify risks, and coordinate with suppliers to meet stringent regulatory requirements, enabling continued airworthiness after certification.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in aircraft type certification or major modification programs.
• Experience interacting with aviation authorities globally.
• Leadership experience in multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of airworthiness standards and safety processes.

Responsibilities

• Define certification basis and means of compliance with civil authorities.
• Lead development of certification plans, test proposals, V&V strategy, and inspection campaigns.
• Ensure compliance across software, hardware, structural, systems, interiors and propulsion domains.
• Manage inspections, flight tests, environmental tests and verification activities.
• Oversee configuration management and maintain traceability of certification requirements.
• Lead and mentor a team of certification, compliance and technical specialists.
• Identify risks and resolve threats to schedule or certification.
• Collaborate with suppliers to meet certification requirements.
• Support continued airworthiness and manage post-certification changes.

Skills

Aerospace certification

Regulatory compliance

Project leadership

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Risk management

Communication skills

Problem solving

Audits & verification

Tools

DO-178C/DO-254

Job description

Vertical Aerospace seeks an experienced Certification Lead to drive the certification strategy across multiple aircraft domains. You will interact with civil authorities, develop plans, and oversee V&V campaigns to ensure timely approvals.

You will manage a team of certification specialists, identify risks, and coordinate with suppliers to meet stringent regulatory requirements, enabling continued airworthiness after certification.