Principal Engineer, Flight Controls Systems Lead

Radia; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 205,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Lunch at Boulder office on onsite work

Job summary

Radia, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, seeks an experienced Flight Control Systems Engineer to lead the development, integration, and certification of a fly-by-wire primary flight control system for a Part 25 aircraft. You will oversee architecture, requirements, sizing, and integration across Radia and multiple suppliers globally.

The role involves steering the entire flight control system, including cockpit controls, computing, actuators, and sensors, while coordinating with customers and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering.
• 15+ years in aircraft systems development or integration, incl. at least 10 years with fly-by-wire.
• Experience with autopilot and flight control system development and integration.
• Knowledge of FAA Part 25 regs; SAE ARP4754B/ARP4761A; DO-178C/DO-254.
• Experience leading teams and suppliers; strong cross-functional coordination.
• US Person required.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Radia flight control systems team.
• Establish system architecture and performance capabilities.
• Define and maintain system functions and requirements.
• Select major components incl. electronics, pilot inceptors, actuators, sensors.
• Interface and lead across customers, suppliers, and engineering stakeholders.
• Oversee airplane integration, testing, and certification of the FC system.

Skills

Fly-by-wire

Autopilot development

Systems architecture

Supplier coordination

Team leadership

FAA Part 25 knowledge

Education

Aerospace/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering degree

Tools

CATIA V5

MATLAB

Job description

About Radia

Radia is a dual use aerospace company developing WindRunner™, the world’s largest cargoaircraft. WindRunner is designed to enable direct transport of oversized cargo across defense, energy, commercial, aerospace, and humanitarian missions without reliance on specialized infrastructure. Radia is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado and Rome, Italy, with a growing global partner and supplier network.

Radia is seeking an experienced flight control systems engineer to lead the development, integration, and certification of a fly by wire primary flight control system. This will include both the internal technical system development as well as an international team of suppliers for the flight control system. This engineer will oversee development of the entire flight control system including flight deck controls, computing and actuation subsystems for the world’s largest airplane.

The flight controls engineer will primarily lead the architecture layout, requirements definition, sizing, design, ICDs, development, production, integration, testing and certification of a fly-by-wire flight control system for a part 25 aircraft development. This includes providing supplier coordination and technical oversight and flight control system integration across various functions within Radia and across multiple partners and suppliers. Radia is a collaborative and creative environment, an ideal candidate would be able to develop and certify a robust system while also thinking creatively about how to minimize the development effort, technical risk and driving simplicity into the design.

Responsibilities

• Help build and lead the Radia flight control systems team
• Establish system architecture and system performance capabilities
• Define and maintain system functions and requirements
• Select/define major components including electronics, pilot inceptors, actuators and sensors
• Interface and lead across program customers, suppliers, and other engineering stakeholders
• Oversee airplane integration of flight controls, supplier testing, integration lab testing and airplane testing, including developing testing plans, lab requirements, instrumentation requirements and test procedures

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 15 or more years of experience developing or integrating aircraft systems, including at least 10 years of experience with fly-by-wire flight control systems.
• Experience with fly-by-wire flight control system development, including system sizing, component selection, system analysis and requirements
• Experience with autopilot control system development and integration
• Experience with flight control electronics definition and system architectures
• Strong certification knowledge and experience with part FAA part 25 regulations desired (part 23 is OK).
• Knowledge of SAE ARP4754B, SAE ARP4761A, DO-178C, DO-254 industry standards.
• Experience leading teams and suppliers
• Strong analytical, technical communication, and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Works well in a collaborative environment
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• US Person required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with aircraft computing, data networks, data buses, input/output, signal definitions, or interface-control data.
• Experience with behavioral modeling, system simulation, or integration of MBSE models.
• Experience with MATLAB simulation tools preferred
• Experience with system integration laboratories, hardware-in-the-loop testing, aircraft ground or flight testing.
• Experience with CATIA V5
• Experience defining digital engineering deliverables, model-exchange requirements, or technical data requirements for suppliers.

Work Environment

Boulder, CO preferred; remote candidates may be considered based on experience, role requirements, and ability to travel as needed.

Compensation:

$205,000-235,000

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus mental health support with 24/7 counseling, virtual therapy, and the Calm app.
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance, voluntary critical illness and accident coverage, and a 401(k)-retirement savings plan.
• Health Care FSA and HSA options with tax advantages and rollover features.
• Employees working from Radia’s Boulder office enjoy complimentary lunch on any day they work onsite.
• Additional benefits include Employee Assistance Program, caregiver support, discounted fitness memberships, educational assistance, training programs, adoption assistance, commuter benefits, and exclusive discounts through Perks at Work.