Airworthiness Manager

Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S); Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

401(k) plan

Professional development

Employee ownership

Job summary

Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. (IS4S) seeks an experienced Airworthiness Manager to lead certification activities for advanced avionics and aerospace systems.

You will serve as the primary airworthiness authority, applying MIL-HDBK-516C criteria across design, test, and sustainment within a DoD-focused program. The role requires 15–20 years in airworthiness or safety engineering for defense programs, excellent cross-functional communication, and the ability to coordinate with regulators

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Systems Engineering or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 15–20 years of airworthiness, certification, or safety engineering experience in military/defense aerospace.
• Hands-on experience with MIL-HDBK-516C and related criteria.
• Strong understanding of lifecycle, configuration management, and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the program’s primary airworthiness authority and subject-matter expert.
• Interpret, apply, and validate MIL-HDBK-516C requirements across design, integration, test, and sustainment.
• Develop and manage airworthiness plans, compliance matrices, and certification strategies.
• Coordinate with military airworthiness authorities to obtain approvals and flight releases.
• Lead airworthiness risk identification, mitigation planning, and technical reviews.
• Support system safety analyses, hazard assessments, and configuration control activities.
• Prepare and deliver technical documentation, briefings, and compliance evidence.
• Ensure alignment between design decisions and airworthiness criteria.
• Mentor engineering teams on certification processes and documentation expectations.

Skills

Airworthiness

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder comms

DoD programs

Certification planning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in EE/ME/Systems (Master’s preferred)

Tools

MIL-HDBK-516C

Job description

Job Title: Airworthiness Manager

Location: Dayton, OH, Huntsville, AL, Niceville, FL (On-Site)

Employment Type: Full-Time

Industry: Aerospace / Defense

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Airworthiness Manager to lead and execute airworthiness certification activities for advanced avionics and aerospace systems. The ideal candidate will have deep technical knowledge of MIL-HDBK-516C airworthiness criteria and a proven ability to work across engineering, program management, and regulatory organizations to ensure compliance throughout the system lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the program’s primary airworthiness authority and subject-matter expert.
• Interpret, apply, and validate compliance to MIL-HDBK-516C requirements across system design, integration, test, and sustainment.
• Develop and manage airworthiness plans, compliance matrices, and certification strategies.
• Coordinate with military airworthiness authorities to achieve necessary approvals and flight releases.
• Lead airworthiness risk identification, mitigation planning, and technical reviews.
• Support system safety analyses, hazard assessments, and configuration control activities.
• Prepare and deliver technical documentation, briefings, and compliance evidence.
• Ensure continuous alignment between engineering design decisions and airworthiness criteria.
• Mentor engineering teams on certification processes and documentation expectations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 15-20 years of experience in airworthiness, certification, or safety engineering for military or defense aerospace programs.
• Hands-on, applied experience with MIL-HDBK-516C and familiarity with relevant derivative criteria.
• Strong understanding of system development lifecycles, configuration management, and risk management.
• Experience working with DoD acquisition programs or military certification offices.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to interface with customers, regulators, and cross-functional engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with aircraft modification, flight test programs, or developmental platforms.
• Experience with development standards such as DO-178c and DO-254.
• Experience with obtaining Military Standard Orders (MSO) and Technical Standard Orders (TSO).
• Background in USAF Military Flight Release (MFR) or Airworthiness Qualification (AWQ) processes.
• Knowledge of system safety standards such as MIL-STD-882E.
• Security clearance (active or able to obtain).

Benefits

• Competitive salary with comprehensive health and wellness benefits
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Educational and professional development opportunities
• Dynamic and collaborative work environment
• Employee ownership