Certification Engineer

Rippling, Inc.; Newport News (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

Aery Aviation, LLC is seeking a Certification Engineer to plan, coordinate, and execute aircraft certification for modifications, repairs, and certification programs. You will develop strategies, compliance plans, and documentation to demonstrate regulatory and military compliance.

Collaboration with FAA, DERs, ODA, and customers is essential to ensure timely certification across the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience supporting aircraft certification, aircraft modifications, repairs, or aerospace product development.
• Working knowledge of FAA regulations, STC processes, FAA Form 337 major alteration processes, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA).
• Experience developing or reviewing compliance matrices, engineering reports, test plans, conformity documentation, and other certification artifacts.
• Familiarity with applicable regulatory guidance, military airworthiness requirements, industry standards, and the ability to interpret engineering drawings, analyses, specifications, and technical documentation for certification purposes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, verbal, and technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop certification strategies, plans, and means of compliance supporting aircraft modifications, repairs, and certification programs.
• Identify applicable regulatory, military, customer, and airworthiness requirements and ensure engineering activities support compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain certification documentation including compliance matrices, certification plans, engineering reports, ICA, and other supporting certification artifacts.
• Coordinate certification activities with Mechanical Engineers, Mechanical Design Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Stress Engineers, Production, Quality, Program Management, and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate with FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, military authorities, customers, and suppliers to support certification planning, technical reviews, conformity inspections, and regulatory approvals.
• Review engineering drawings, analyses, reports, test plans, and technical documentation to verify compliance with applicable certification requirements.
• Develop and coordinate engineering test plans, conformity inspections, ground tests, flight tests, and other certification activities required to demonstrate compliance.
• Support fabrication, installation, troubleshooting, testing, and aircraft modification activities to ensure continued compliance with approved engineering data and certification requirements.
• Participate in engineering design reviews and provide technical recommendations regarding certification strategy, regulatory compliance, continued airworthiness, and project risk.
• Maintain certification documentation under configuration control and ensure work products comply with company standards, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives, development of certification processes, engineering standards, and lessons-learned activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Engineering Manager.

Skills

Analytical skills

Coordination with stakeholders

Technical communication

Office and hangar work

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related

Job description

The Certification Engineer is responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of aircraft certification activities associated with aircraft modifications, repairs, and certification programs.

This role develops certification strategies, compliance plans, certification documentation, and engineering substantiation necessary to demonstrate compliance with applicable regulatory, military, and customer requirements. The Certification Engineer coordinates certification activities throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring engineering deliverables, testing, analyses, inspections, and approvals support timely and successful certification.

Certification Engineers work closely with Mechanical Engineers, Mechanical Design Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Stress Engineers, Production personnel, Quality personnel, and external stakeholders including FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, customers, and military authorities. They provide technical guidance regarding regulatory compliance, certification planning, and continued airworthiness while supporting fabrication, installation, testing, and certification activities.

Who We Are Looking For

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited college or university, or related experience.
• Experience supporting aircraft certification, aircraft modifications, repairs, or aerospace product development programs.
• Working knowledge of FAA regulations, STC processes, FAA Form 337 major alteration processes, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA).
• Experience developing or reviewing compliance matrices, engineering reports, test plans, conformity documentation, and other certification artifacts.
• Familiarity with applicable regulatory guidance, military airworthiness requirements, industry standards, and the ability to interpret engineering drawings, analyses, specifications, and technical documentation for certification purposes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, verbal, and technical communication skills, including the ability to coordinate effectively with Engineering, Production, Quality, Program Management, customers, suppliers, FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, and military authorities.
• Ability to work in both office and aircraft hangar environments.
• U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Resident status.

Preferred

• Five or more years of experience supporting aircraft certification, STC programs, military airworthiness, or other regulated aerospace certification activities.
• Experience developing certification plans, means of compliance, and certification strategies.
• Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516C airworthiness requirements and military aircraft modification programs.
• Experience coordinating certification activities including conformity inspections, ground testing, flight testing, and compliance demonstrations with FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, military authorities, customers, and suppliers.
• Experience developing engineering reports, compliance documentation, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA), and certification support documentation.
• Familiarity with aircraft systems, structures, avionics integration, and aircraft modification practices.
• Experience working within configuration management, engineering release processes, and aerospace quality systems such as AS9100.
• Experience supporting continued operational safety, post-certification engineering activities, certification scheduling, and project risk management.

What You Will Be Doing

Key Responsibilities

• Develop certification strategies, certification plans, and means of compliance supporting aircraft modifications, repairs, and certification programs.
• Identify applicable regulatory, military, customer, and airworthiness requirements and ensure engineering activities support compliance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain certification documentation including compliance matrices, certification plans, engineering reports, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA), and other supporting certification artifacts.
• Coordinate certification activities with Mechanical Engineers, Mechanical Design Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Stress Engineers, Production, Quality, Program Management, and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate with FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, military authorities, customers, and suppliers to support certification planning, technical reviews, conformity inspections, and regulatory approvals.
• Review engineering drawings, analyses, reports, test plans, and technical documentation to verify compliance with applicable certification requirements.
• Develop and coordinate engineering test plans, conformity inspections, ground tests, flight tests, and other certification activities required to demonstrate compliance.
• Support fabrication, installation, troubleshooting, testing, and aircraft modification activities to ensure continued compliance with approved engineering data and certification requirements.
• Participate in engineering design reviews and provide technical recommendations regarding certification strategy, regulatory compliance, continued airworthiness, and project risk.
• Maintain certification documentation under configuration control and ensure work products comply with company standards, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives, development of certification processes, engineering standards, and lessons-learned activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Engineering Manager.

KPIs / Measurables

• Accuracy, quality, and completeness of certification plans, compliance documentation, engineering reports, compliance matrices, and supporting certification artifacts.
• Completion of assigned certification activities and deliverables within established schedules and project priorities.
• Effectiveness of certification planning as measured by successful regulatory reviews, testing, conformity inspections, and certification outcomes.
• Compliance of engineering documentation and certification activities with applicable regulatory, military, customer, and company requirements.
• Responsiveness to engineering, production, testing, certification, and customer support requests.
• Effectiveness in identifying, communicating, and resolving certification risks, regulatory issues, and compliance concerns throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support of continuous improvement initiatives, certification processes, engineering standards, and lessons-learned activities.

You Must Have

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited college or university.
• Experience supporting aircraft certification, aircraft modifications, repairs, or aerospace product development programs.
• Working knowledge of FAA regulations, STC processes, FAA Form 337 major alteration processes, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA).
• Experience developing or reviewing compliance matrices, engineering reports, test plans, conformity documentation, and other certification artifacts.
• Familiarity with applicable regulatory guidance, military airworthiness requirements, industry standards, and the ability to interpret engineering drawings, analyses, specifications, and technical documentation for certification purposes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, verbal, and technical communication skills, including the ability to coordinate effectively with Engineering, Production, Quality, Program Management, customers, suppliers, FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, and military authorities.
• Ability to work in both office and aircraft hangar environments.

Preferred

• Five or more years of experience supporting aircraft certification, STC programs, military airworthiness, or other regulated aerospace certification activities.
• Experience developing certification plans, means of compliance, and certification strategies.
• Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516C airworthiness requirements and military aircraft modification programs.
• Experience coordinating certification activities including conformity inspections, ground testing, flight testing, and compliance demonstrations with FAA representatives, DERs, ODA organizations, military authorities, customers, and suppliers.
• Experience developing engineering reports, compliance documentation, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA), and certification support documentation.
• Familiarity with aircraft systems, structures, avionics integration, and aircraft modification practices.
• Experience working within configuration management, engineering release processes, and aerospace quality systems such as AS9100.
• Experience supporting continued operational safety, post-certification engineering activities, certification scheduling, and project risk management.

Aery Aviation job descriptions are meant as summarizations only. They do not necessarily reflect all duties and responsibilities of a position.

Our Benefits:

We offer the right candidate the chance to join a forward-thinking organization, supported by a competitive compensation and benefits package. Learn more about Aery Aviation, LLC at www.aeryaviation.com .

Aery Aviation, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Aery Aviation, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

About Aery Aviation LLC

Aery Aviation, LLC is an aviation services organization whose focus is on the engineering, certification, and production associated with aircraft modifications. Our team has significant experience spanning everything from single engine ISR aircraft for government utilization to widebody VVIP interior completions. From design to delivery, Aery provides turnkey, bespoke solutions for our clientele.

The pay range for this role is:

40 - 50 USD per hour (Aery Aviation LLC - PHF / Corporate Office)