Principal Loads & Aeroelastics Engineer

Vertical Aerospace; Bristol; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days holiday plus bank holiday

5 extra days to buy or sell

5 extra days holiday for marriage or civil partnership

4% of salary on extra benefits

Award-winning health and wellbeing service

Performance-based bonus

Company Share Scheme

Company Pension Scheme

Daily breakfast provided

Job summary

A pioneering aerospace company in Bristol is seeking a Principal Loads & Aeroelastics Engineer. You will take on a leadership role in developing and certifying loads and aeroelastic models, specifically for aircraft. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in loads and aeroelasticity, coupled with a deep understanding of relevant certification requirements. This position not only offers a chance to innovate within a rapidly evolving industry but also to work in a supportive and dynamic environment. Flexible work and generous benefits await the right candidate.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in loads and aeroelasticity.
• Proven experience working on certified aircraft programmes.
• Deep understanding of CS-23/27, CS-25/29 certification requirements.
• Strong expertise in industry-standard loads and aeroelastic tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and certification of aircraft loads and aeroelastic models.
• Deliver the loads and aeroelastic certification strategy.
• Drive integration of structural, aerodynamic, and control system models.
• Develop automated, repeatable, and traceable analysis workflows.
• Oversee flutter, gust, manoeuvre, and ground loads analysis.
• Provide technical mentorship within the Loads & Dynamics discipline.

Skills

Loads and aeroelasticity

Compliance demonstration

Aeroservoelastic behaviour

Flight mechanics

Strong communication skills

Job description

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take‑off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner‑level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

What To Expect

As Principal Loads & Aeroelastics Engineer, you will report to the Loads & Dynamics Team Lead, and act as a senior technical authority within the team. You will lead the definition, development and validation of integrated loads and aeroelastic models, with a strong focus on automation and scalable analysis capability. You will ensure that loads and aeroservoelastic requirements are robustly defined, demonstrated through credible analysis, and supported by clear certification evidence. You will lead model development and integration at aircraft level, provide technical authority within the discipline, and ensure that analysis methods are robust, repeatable, and traceable to certification requirements. While this is not a formal line management role, you will mentor engineers within the Loads & Dynamics discipline and set the technical standard for the team.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the development and certification of aircraft loads and aeroelastic models at component and full aircraft level
• Deliver the loads and aeroelastic certification strategy, producing robust technical evidence to support compliance
• Drive the integration of structural, aerodynamic, and control system models to assess stability and response
• Develop automated, repeatable, and traceable analysis workflows to support rapid design iteration and configuration control
• Oversee flutter, gust, manoeuvre, and ground loads analysis across the flight envelope
• Provide technical mentorship and set engineering best practice within the Loads & Dynamics discipline
• Support flight test definition, correlation, and model updating activities
• Represent Loads & Aeroelasticity at senior internal technical reviews

What You’ll Bring

• 10+ years of experience in loads and aeroelasticity
• Proven experience working on certified aircraft programmes, including direct involvement in compliance demonstration
• Deep understanding of CS-23/27, CS-25/29, or equivalent certification requirements relating to loads, flutter and aeroelastic stability
• Strong expertise in industry‑standard loads and aeroelastic tools and methods, and the ability to adapt them to novel aircraft configurations
• Solid understanding of flight mechanics and flight control systems, particularly in relation to aeroservoelastic behaviour
• Ability to produce structured, traceable, and certification‑ready analysis
• Clear and confident communication when presenting complex technical evidence to multidisciplinary stakeholders

What can you expect from us?

We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career. Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal.

Our Benefits

• 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday
• 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)
• 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership
• Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits
• Award‑winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand)
• Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance
• Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee
• Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it
• Breakfast on us, every day

Disclaimer Statement

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.