Future Flight Decks Sr Principal Engineer

Cirrus Aircraft

Duluth (MN)

On-site

USD 167,507 - 251,261

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Health Coverage

Flexible Spending Accounts

401(k) Plan with matching

Tuition reimbursement program

Job summary

Cirrus Aircraft in Duluth, MN is seeking an AD&D Engineer Principal Sr. to drive the innovative development of intelligent aircraft systems. This leadership role involves taking ownership of new pilot-vehicle interface designs and early-stage conceptual developments.

The ideal candidate will have over 12 years of experience in aerospace engineering, strong prototyping skills, and be comfortable with iterative development processes. We offer a comprehensive benefits package and a competitive salary range.

Qualifications

12+ years of experience in aerospace or user interface product development.
Proven track record of producing results when developing new designs or products.
Strong hands-on skills in prototyping, simulation, and testing.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of Future Flight Decks and associated systems.
Design and validate control logic for automated system functionality.
Collaborate with pilots and external stakeholders for concept validation.

Skills

Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Prototyping

User Interface Design

Iterative Development

Education

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

Master's Degree (preferred)

Tools

PTC products (CREO, Windchill)

Mathworks products (Matlab, Simulink)

Atlassian products (Jira, Confluence)

Job description

Overview

The AD&D Engineer Principal Sr. - Future Flight Decks is a forward-thinking engineering leader responsible for driving the early-stage development of intelligent, automated aircraft systems within the Cirrus Advanced Design and Development (AD&D) team. This position will lead the technical work to explore and develop new philosophies and design concepts related to simplified vehicle operations - including new flight deck technologies, advanced display and software features, and next generation control architectures. This role will be a key pillar of the AD&D team will own the maturation of new ideas into validated concepts, and is focused on the initial phases of aircraft development—ideation, hypothesis generation, stakeholder engagement, technology maturation, and conceptual design. The successful candidate for this role will be a balanced future-minded pilot, avionics, human factors, and concept prototyping engineer.

Responsibilities

Take full ownership of leading the development of Future Flight Decks, pilot-vehicle interfaces, flight control inceptors, and their associated systems and software features -- from ideation thru conceptual design and into practical product paths.
Lead the drafting and refinement of future pilot-vehicle-interface philosophies and concepts of operation for simplified vehicle operations.
Lead the design, fabrication, and refinement of flight deck mockups and developmental simulators.
Create and manage development plans focused on early-stage exploration, requirements capture, and concept validation.
Design and validate control logic for automated system and equipment functionality.
Generate and test hypotheses through iterative hands‑on prototyping, simulation, and evaluation, with minimal supervision.
Organize and conduct pilot and non-pilot user evaluations to assess concept prototypes and identify follow‑on questions, risks, issues, or areas of improvement.
Organize, define, analyze, and validate pilot functional tasks.
Engineer and refine requirements and objectives through stakeholder engagement and iterative experimentation.
Translate verbal direction and vision into actionable design objectives and development strategies.
Collaborate directly with pilots, mechanics, and experimental technicians, as well as external stakeholders such as Product Development, Certification, and Production teams.
Work closely with other groups developing embedded systems, advanced sensing systems, advanced flight controls, and automated systems.
Foster a culture of rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration, learning from both success and failure.
Communicate complex ideas effectively and efficiently to diverse audiences.
Travel up to 25% may be required.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering (or related STEM discipline). Master's Degree, preferred.
12+ years of experience in aerospace or user interface product development.
Broad technical skillset related to aircraft, with strong understanding of pilot-vehicle interfaces.
Previous early product development or user interface experience – from a clean sheet to working prototypes.
Proven track record of producing results when developing new designs or products.
Willingness to take smart risks, accept accountability, and fix mistakes.
Demonstrated ability to lead small technical teams and manage early development projects.
Intrinsic motivation to drive progress - to explore, challenge, and innovate – and to minimize administrative overhead.
Experienced in iterative development cycles, with a strong ability to identify non‑viable solutions early and reorient technical strategy quickly.
Strong hands‑on skills in prototyping, simulation, and testing.
Comfortable operating under tight deadlines with minimal direction and in a shop or lab environment.
Proficient in creating engineering design definition - 3D models, 2D drawings, sketches, schematics, BOMs.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred qualifications

Private, fixed‑wing pilot with instrument rating.
Advanced ratings or experience in multiple types would be beneficial for this role; Previous experience with automotive or computer user interface development; Previous experience with new avionics controls and display feature development; Experience with creative, consumer, or design‑related product development; Experience with human factors design, evaluations, and data reduction processes; Previous aircraft development program experience, from early concepts to entry into service; Previous experience leading Integrated Product Teams or similar technical teams; Familiarity with Figma and ProtoPie design and prototyping tools; Familiarity with PTC products (e.g. CREO, Windchill); Familiarity with Mathworks products (e.g. Matlab, Simulink); Familiarity with Atlassian products (e.g. Jira, Confluence); Proficient in at least one coding language; Experience with FAA certification processes and standards (e.g. Part 23, Part 27, Advisory Circulars, Industry Consensus Standards).

Benefits

Cirrus provides a range of exciting benefits, including:

Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, vision, dental, with additional dependent coverage options
Employer-Paid Coverages: Group term life, short- and long-term disability insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts:FSA and HSA offerings with company contributions to HSA
Well‑being: Calm Health, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness incentives through medical provider
401(k) Plan: Dollar-for-dollar match up to 5% after 90 days, with 100% vesting at 1 year of service
PTO: Various PTO plans starting at 100 hours accrued within the first year
Additional Time off Benefits: Paid holidays, 2 weeks of Paid Parental leave, paid time for funeral leave and jury duty
Career Development: Tuition reimbursement program and professional growth opportunities
Exclusive Discounts: Cirrus Store, partner and marketplace discounts available
Community & Engagement: Company and employee clubs at various locations