Structures Engineer

Virgin Atlantic; Hounslow; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Virgin Atlantic is seeking a Structures Engineer to join the Structures team at London Heathrow. You will manage continued airworthiness, assess structural repairs and develop engineering solutions within Part CAMO and Part 21 Design Organisation frameworks.

This is a hybrid role with on-site work three days a week. The position emphasizes safety, compliance and practical guidance across engineering and maintenance, working with partners such as Airbus and Boeing.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree or HND in a relevant aviation discipline.
• Experience within an airline, aircraft manufacturer, CAMO, Design Organisation or aircraft structural repair environment.
• Strong knowledge of continued airworthiness requirements and Part M/CAMO/Part 21 contexts.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist structural engineering support for defects, incidents and AOG events with safe, practical solutions.
• Produce structural repairs, modifications and design instructions per Part 21 DOA procedures.
• Review fleet performance and maintenance feedback to identify reliability improvements.
• Support development of maintenance policies to improve safety and cost efficiency.
• Provide structural technical support for acquisitions, lease returns and end-of-lease activity.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance Control, Part 145 and manufacturers to resolve issues.

Skills

Aircraft structures

Regulatory awareness

Communication skills

Problem solving

Education

Engineering degree or HND

CAA/EASA B1 Licence or equivalent

Job description

Location: Hybrid, 3 days a week at our London Heathrow - Hangar

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 22nd October, 2026

In a nutshell

At Virgin Atlantic, our Fleet Technical Engineering team does more than manage the continued airworthiness of our aircraft. As part of our Part 21 Design Organisation, we also have the capability to develop and approve engineering solutions when the answer is not simply sitting in an aircraft manufacturer's manual.

We're looking for a Structures Engineer to join our Structures team at London Heathrow. You'll work under both our Part CAMO and Part 21 Design Organisation, managing continued airworthiness of our fleets, structural repair design and operational engineering.

One day you could be assessing manufacturer information and determining what action is required across our fleet; the next, you could be helping develop a structural repair solution to safely return an aircraft to service.

Whatever the challenge, safety and compliance come first. You'll use your aircraft structural knowledge and experience to define practical, technically robust solutions while supporting a safe, reliable and efficient operation.

Day to day

• Providing specialist structural engineering support for aircraft defects, operational issues, incidents and AOG events, developing safe and practical solutions while helping to minimise operational disruption.
• Producing structural repairs, modifications, engineering design instructions, drawings and technical reports in line with our CAA Part 21 Design Organisation Approval procedures.
• Reviewing fleet performance, maintenance feedback, delays and recurring structural issues, identifying opportunities to improve reliability and prevent recurrence.
• Supporting the development of maintenance policies that improve safety and reliability while helping manage maintenance and operational costs.
• Providing structural technical support for aircraft acquisitions, lease returns and end-of-lease activity.
• Working closely with colleagues across Engineering, Maintenance Control and Part 145, as well as manufacturers including Airbus and Boeing, suppliers, maintenance organisations and regulatory authorities.
• As your experience and knowledge of our operation develops, you'll also have the opportunity to become part of our Structures out-of-hours technical support team.
• Working collaboratively across the team, sharing technical knowledge and supporting colleagues as you build your own expertise.

About you

You'll bring aircraft structures engineering experience and the confidence to make safe, compliant and practical technical decisions in a fast-paced operational environment. This isn't a trainee role, but you don't need to arrive as a fully approved Part 21 specialist - we're interested in people with strong foundations who can continue developing across both sides of the role.

We're looking for someone with:

• An Engineering degree or HND in a relevant aviation discipline, or a CAA/EASA B1 Licence or equivalent.
• Relevant experience within an airline, aircraft manufacturer, CAMO, Design Organisation or aircraft structural repair environment.
• Experience of aircraft structural repair assessment, Part 21 design approval or continued airworthiness activity. Direct Part 21 Design Organisation experience would be an advantage, but is not essential if you bring strong relevant structures and Part M/CAMO experience.
• A good working knowledge of continued airworthiness requirements, with exposure to CAA Part M/Part CAMO, Part 21, Part 26 or applicable airworthiness and certification requirements.
• The ability to interpret complex technical information and turn it into clear, practical guidance for a range of stakeholders.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to work collaboratively across Engineering and represent Virgin Atlantic with manufacturers, suppliers and regulatory authorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to balance safety, compliance, operational requirements and commercial considerations.

You'll also be comfortable working in an environment where priorities can change quickly. When an operational or structural issue develops, you'll be able to assess the situation, work with the right people and help move it towards a safe and effective resolution.

Accessibility and inclusion

We're committed to making our recruitment process accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or additional support, you can let us know in your application.

If you'd prefer to speak to someone directly before or during your application, interview or assessment, please contact our recruitment team at [e-mail].

We know every role and candidate is different, so we'll discuss the adjustments available for the role and at each stage of the recruitment process.