Senior Certification Engineer – Spaceplane

Dawn Aerospace; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering aerospace company in New Zealand, seeks a Senior Certification Engineer to ensure safety and compliance for spaceplane operations. The ideal candidate has significant experience in safety-critical industries and a collaborative mindset. This role offers an opportunity to work at the forefront of aerospace, bridging aviation and space to shape routine spaceflight. Join a tight-knit team and help define a new frontier in aerospace.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in aviation, space, or another safety-critical industry.
• 2+ years’ experience in design or organisational certification.
• Proven ability to create effective mitigations and pragmatic compliance solutions.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate compliance to airworthiness and operational standards for the Mk-II spaceplane.
• Liaise directly with certification authorities on compliance approaches.
• Develop, implement, and monitor safety and quality management systems.

Skills

Risk management

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving

Collaborative mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science

Job description

Build what’s next in aerospace.

Dawn Aerospace is redefining what’s possible in aviation and space. Our Mk-II Aurora spaceplane has already broken the sound barrier and set records for rapid climb and high‑altitude flight — and now we’re building the next generation. We’ve certified Mk-II Aurora for rocket‑powered, remotely piloted, beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight operations integrated across the national airspace system. Next, we’re scaling its performance, capability, and reusability to deliver frequent, global access to space.

We’re looking for a Senior Certification Engineer to help shape this next phase — developing the technology and compliance frameworks that will make routine spaceflight a reality.

What you’ll do

• Demonstrate compliance to airworthiness and operational standards for the Mk-II spaceplane in collaboration with design, manufacturing, flight operations, and maintenance teams.
• Define and document Means of Compliance where existing standards don’t fully cover spaceplane operations, ensuring equivalent levels of safety are demonstrated.
• Liaise directly with certification authorities on approaches to compliance and safety risks, balancing regulatory requirements with operational needs.
• Establish system safety requirements and frameworks derived from operational risk assessments.
• Provide expert guidance across all Mk-II teams on design or operational changes affecting safety or compliance.
• Develop, implement, and monitor safety and quality management systems covering design, manufacturing, flight operations, and maintenance.
• Implement a continued airworthiness framework for an international fleet of spaceplanes, integrating and operating diverse customer payloads.

About you

You thrive on solving problems few have tackled before. You bring creativity, resilience, and technical rigour — and you collaborate naturally across disciplines to deliver safe, high‑performance systems. You’re motivated by a challenge, you communicate openly, and you help your team make steady progress by constructively questioning and seeking the best solutions. We value diverse experiences and perspectives — what matters most is your drive to solve hard problems and your commitment to safety and innovation.

You bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science, ideally in an aviation‑related field.
• 5+ years’ experience in aviation, space, or another safety‑critical industry.
• 2+ years’ experience in design or organisational certification.
• Strong understanding of risk across design, manufacturing, flight operations, and maintenance.
• Proven ability to create effective mitigations and pragmatic compliance solutions in novel contexts.
• Collaborative mindset and strong communication skills.
• A flexible, hands‑on approach — ready to adapt as challenges evolve.

Bonus points for:

• Experience developing tools to simplify analysis or quantify aviation‑related safety risks.
• Familiarity with airspace operations, ATC, separation standards, or instrument flight procedures.
• Experience in flight, launch, or mission operations.
• Experience planning and executing system‑or aircraft‑level tests to demonstrate compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and justify equipment failure rates or assurance levels.
• Experience leading payload integration and qualification processes for equipment affecting airworthiness.

Why Dawn

At Dawn, you won’t be a small part of a large organisation — you’ll be helping to define a new frontier in aerospace. Your work will directly shape how spaceplanes are certified and operated worldwide, bridging the gap between aviation and space. We’re a tight‑knit, cross‑functional team tackling one of aerospace’s hardest challenges: making spaceflight routine. If you can imagine a future where every airport can become a spaceport — and want to help build it — we’d love to hear from you.

Even if you don’t tick every box, please reach out.

Note: This role involves access to controlled technology. Appointment is conditional on passing security vetting and obtaining any required export‑control authorisations.