Principal Design Engineer EWIS - Components & Environmental Testing

GKN Aerospace; Papendrecht; On-site; EUR 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

8% holiday allowance

Travel allowance

Excellent pension scheme

Job summary

GKN Aerospace is seeking an EWIS Principal Design Engineer to lead the design, validation and verification of EWIS components for future aircraft platforms.

You will define design strategies, mentor engineers, and ensure robust, compliant, high-quality outcomes across multiple projects in a cross-functional environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a comparable engineering domain (aerospace/transportation).
• Extensive system design background in multidisciplinary environments.
• Experience with EWIS components, connectors, and standards (DO-160, ARP4754A, MIL-STD, ISO).
• Strong documentation and requirements management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead trade-off studies and component selection strategies.
• Oversee component and construction qualification and documentation.
• Mentor Senior/Junior Design Engineers and review critical work packages.
• Shape the EWIS technical roadmap for future aircraft platforms.

Skills

EWIS design

leadership

qualification management

documentation

stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

advanced degree (advantage)

Tools

Codebeamer

Job description

GKN Aerospace Careers is looking for an ambitious engineer to contribute to the development of future Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) for sustainable aircraft.

Within GKN Aerospace's EWIS solutions (Fokker Elmo), this role focuses on advancing Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems for more electric, fully electric, and hybrid-electric aircraft, including High Voltage High Power (HVHP) EWIS developments and disruptive technologies for low-voltage data signal transmission. Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) have become increasingly important as part of the More Electric Aircraft transition.

Job Summary

As an EWIS Principal Design Engineer, you will serve as the design authority within your specific area of expertise, leading the development, validation, and verification of EWIS components and constructions (component assemblies). In this role, you will define the technical direction for complex EWIS solutions, establish design strategies, and ensure robust, compliant, and high-quality engineering outcomes across multiple projects.

Your responsibilities include leading trade-off studies, defining component selection strategies, overseeing component and construction qualification, and delivering high-quality technical documentation. You will collaborate closely with the Engineering Design Team, acting as a key decision-maker and technical reference point for EWIS component design.

In this principal role, you will also mentor, coach, and technically guide Senior, Mid-level, and Junior Design Engineers, ensuring consistent engineering excellence, reviewing critical work packages, and fostering the development of advanced EWIS domain expertise within the team.

As GKN Aerospace continues to expand its capabilities in next-generation EWIS technologies for future aircraft platforms, you will play a key role in shaping the technical roadmap and maturing these advanced competencies.

You will report to the Centre of Competence Manager – EWIS Components and Environmental Testing (ECE). For project-specific activities, you will collaborate closely with the Technical Lead (Senior Engineer) and/or the Engineering Team Lead (ETL) within the Design team. In addition to receiving project direction, you will act as a design authority within your specific area of expertise, providing expert guidance, validating critical design decisions, and ensuring technical consistency across project deliverables.

What you'll do

• Lead trade-off studies.
• Define component selection strategies.
• Oversee component and construction qualification.
• Deliver high-quality technical documentation.
• Collaborate closely with the Engineering Design Team as a key decision-maker and technical reference point for EWIS component design.
• Mentor, coach, and technically guide Senior, Mid-level, and Junior Design Engineers.
• Review critical work packages and foster the development of advanced EWIS domain expertise within the team.
• Play a key role in shaping the technical roadmap and maturing advanced competencies in next-generation EWIS technologies for future aircraft platforms.

What you'll bring

• 10+ years of professional experience in a comparable engineering domain, ideally within aerospace, automotive, rail, or other high-reliability transportation industries.
• Extensive system design background with proven leadership in complex, multidisciplinary aerospace and/or transportation system architectures.
• Expert-level knowledge of electrical cable harness design, including deep component-level understanding of connectors, terminals, backshells, splices, shielding, grounding, protective coverings, and integration constraints.
• Strong capability in defining and specifying parts, materials, and assemblies, with a clear understanding of component interactions, system-level impacts, and design trade-offs.
• Proficiency in interpreting and applying industry standards such as DO-160, ARP4754A, MIL-STD, and ISO standards, and translating them into practical design requirements.
• Advanced documentation and requirements management skills, including experience with tools such as Codebeamer or equivalent systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical reviews, resolve complex cross-functional issues, and support design assurance and compliance activities.
• Highly analytical and proactive mindset, capable of diagnosing and resolving complex system-level engineering challenges.
• Experience with qualification and certification processes, including effective communication and negotiation with suppliers, customers, and regulatory bodies.

Soft skills

• Assertiveness: willingness to learn and broaden own knowledge; takes initiative to help improve processes and procedures.
• Teamwork: able to work constructively in a small multicultural team, taking responsibility for assigned tasks and supporting other team members in achieving team targets and deadlines.
• Results-driven: able to plan own work in line with project schedules, and report progress regularly and timely in the event of issues or delays.
• Self-learning: willing to learn and explore, share knowledge with colleagues, and improve yourself.
• Communication: excellent communication skills, enabling effective collaboration with internal teams, suppliers, and regulatory bodies, and fluent English in speech and writing, with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely, including technical reports.
• Project Management: you master basic project management skills.

Profile

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Aeronautical, Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline. An advanced degree is considered an advantage.
• Extensive professional experience, typically 10+ years in a high-reliability engineering environment such as aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or other advanced electronics design and development domains, with a demonstrated track record of technical leadership and ownership.

What we’ll offer

GKN Aerospace offers a challenging role with opportunities to learn and grow, supported by a broad range of international career possibilities and professional and personal development opportunities.

• Role in Grade M according to the CLA Metalektro.
• 8% holiday allowance.
• 42 paid holidays for full-time employment in line with the Collective Labor Agreement Metalektro.
• An excellent pension scheme (PME) and travel allowance.
• A pleasant and informal working environment, in which teams work together to achieve the best result for customers.
• Learning and development opportunities to support career progression.

Who we are

Aerospace

GKN Aerospace is a leading tier one aerospace supplier of systems and components and a leading player in the design, manufacturing and support of Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) for Aerospace and Defense programs.

Journey

An innovative and international workplace with a strong focus on technology, where employees have opportunities to build their careers and work on personal development.