Director - Civil Certification

Cessna Aircraft Company; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9/80 work schedule

PTO 80 hours

Vacation 120 hours

12–13 paid holidays per year

Parental leave 6 weeks

On-site clinic and wellness services

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

Bell is seeking a Director of Civil Certification to provide executive leadership over all civil certification functions, including Type Certification, ODA Administration, and Production Certification. This role ensures delegated authority, advances major programs, and sustains long-term commercial success.

The position requires guiding multidisciplinary teams, ensuring regulatory compliance, and coordinating with FAA and international authorities to drive certification strategies and audit

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related Engineering; Master’s preferred.
• 5+ years experience managing FAA or FAA-delegated organization projects.
• 10+ years cumulative certification and flight test or product engineering leadership.
• Experience managing FAA or FAA-delegated programs, including certification basis, means of compliance, cert project oversight, and audit preparation.
• Expert knowledge of FAA regulations, FAA Orders (8100.15, 8110-4, 8130.2), and TC/STC/PC certification processes.
• Proven capability leading multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a team of Validation/Certification Project Specialists to work effectively with programs and certification authorities to type validate commercial products.
• Oversee Certification and Production Certification teams to ensure strong execution, regulatory compliance, and consistent ODA performance.
• Act as the executive liaison to the FAA ODA Management Team, driving ODA performance and leading the organization through ODA renewal cycles.
• Provide guidance and direction to Commercial Programs on commercial product validation by developing certification strategies and technical position.
• Guide audit readiness and responses, monitor ODA Unit Member performance, and ensure alignment with FAA regulations and policy.
• Lead execution of validation/certification projects in support of the Commercial Programs team through development of strong relationship with domestic and foreign authorities.
• Translate regulatory expectations into clear engineering requirements and ensure certification considerations are embedded early in system architecture and design decisions across all disciplines.
• Partner with Flight Test and Engineering teams to structure test campaigns that distinguish between engineering learning and certification evidence generation, ensuring test data is valid and usable for compliance.
• Establish and maintain effective compliance tracking and configuration control processes to ensure the certified configuration aligns with approved design data and assumptions.
• Select and manage external certification resources—including DERs, consultants, test labs, and conformity partners—to support compliance activities and evidence generation.
• Act as lead ODA administrator
• Define the long‑term structure of Bell’s civil certification and airworthiness organization, developing internal certification talent and scaling capability as future programs grow.
• Support identification of future talent to support the EFUM pipeline

Skills

Leadership

FAA regulations knowledge

Multidisciplinary leadership

Program management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s preferred

Job description

Job Description - Director - Civil Certification (343702)

Job Number:

343702

Bell is more than an aviation company — we are pioneers. From breaking the sound barrier to tiltrotors, we challenge what’s possible. Today, we are shaping the future of civil aviation with the first commercial fly by wire helicopter. And we want you to help lead that mission.

Work location is onsite at Bell’s Commercial Business Center in Fort Worth, TX

Certification Director

The Director of Civil Certification provides executive leadership over all civil certification functions at Bell, including Type Certification, Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Administration and Production Certification.

This leader ensures Bell maintains delegated authority, advances major Type Certification programs, and safeguards long‑term commercial success.

What you’ll be doing as the Director of Certification

• Build and lead a team of Validation/Certification Project Specialists to work effectively with programs and certification authorities to type validate commercial products
• Oversee Certification and Production Certification teams to ensure strong execution, regulatory compliance, and consistent ODA performance.
• Act as the executive liaison to the FAA ODA Management Team, driving ODA performance and leading the organization through ODA renewal cycles.
• Provide guidance and direction to Commercial Programs on commercial product validation by developing certification strategies and technical position
• Guide audit readiness and responses, monitor ODA Unit Member performance, and ensure alignment with FAA regulations and policy.
• Lead execution of validation/certification projects in support of the Commercial Programs team through development of strong relationship with domestic and foreign authorities
• Translate regulatory expectations into clear engineering requirements and ensure certification considerations are embedded early in system architecture and design decisions across all disciplines.
• Partner with Flight Test and Engineering teams to structure test campaigns that distinguish between engineering learning and certification evidence generation, ensuring test data is valid and usable for compliance.
• Establish and maintain effective compliance tracking and configuration control processes to ensure the certified configuration aligns with approved design data and assumptions.
• Select and manage external certification resources—including DERs, consultants, test labs, and conformity partners—to support compliance activities and evidence generation.
• Act as lead ODA administrator
• Define the long‑term structure of Bell’s civil certification and airworthiness organization, developing internal certification talent and scaling capability as future programs grow.
• Support identification of future talent to support the EFUM pipeline

Skills you bring to the role

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related Engineering field (Master’s preferred).
• At least 5 years’ experience managing FAA or FAA‑delegated organization projects.
• At least 10 years cumulative certification and flight test or product engineering leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing FAA or FAA‑delegated programs, including certification basis, means of compliance, cert project oversight, and audit preparation.
• Expert knowledge of FAA regulations, FAA Orders (e.g., 8100.15, 8110-4, 8130.2), and TC/STC/PC certification processes.
• Proven capability leading multidisciplinary teams

Preferred

Experience with novel configurations, advanced technologies, or emerging aviation concepts.

• Knowledge of FAA, EASA, TCCA, ANAC, UKCAA, and other foreign CAA regulations and compliance strongly preferred

Benefits

• You’ll be off every other Friday with our 9/80 work schedule
• 80 hours of Personal Time Off (PTO)
• 120 hours Vacation time
• 12‑13 paid holidays per year
• 6 weeks parental leave
• On‑site clinic, pharmacy, physical therapy, and licensed counselor
• Access to more than 11 Employee Resource Groups
• And so much more

It’s time to make your mark on the future of aviation. Join us on this mission, and let’s make history together.

We are on a journey to amplify innovation, cultivate purpose and bridge experiences by fostering a culture that is driven by unique perspectives, voices and values.

EEO Statement

Textron is committed to providing Equal Opportunity in Employment, to all applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, military status, veteran status, disability, sex (including pregnancy and sexual orientation), genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The ITAR/EAR defines a U.S. person as a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), Political Asylee, or Refugee. Non‑U.S. persons selected must meet eligibility requirements for access to export‑restricted information.