Senior Design Engineer - Airframe

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  Own airframe designs from incomplete or inherited definition through design for manufacture, release, build and installation

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  Develop pragmatic design solutions that balance structural, manufacturing, integration, certification and programme requirements

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  Approve and release engineering drawings, design data and technical reports

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  Act as a checking signatory, ensuring released data is accurate, complete and supported by appropriate evidence

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  Coordinate internal engineers and contractors

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  Integrate airframe structures with powerplant, fuel-system and other physical aircraft systems

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  Work directly with manufacturing, assembly and flight-test teams to resolve issues quickly and safely

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  Build and collate the verification and certification evidence needed to support safety-of-flight readiness

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  Challenge weak assumptions or insufficient evidence, manage technical interfaces and escalate safety risks clearly

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  Mentor junior engineers and support their technical development

• Established experience delivering complex mechanical or structural designs in a safety-critical or highly regulated environment

• Strong theoretical understanding of airframe structures, combined with the judgement to apply engineering principles pragmatically

• Evidence of taking an inherited or incomplete design through design for manufacture, release, build or installation

• Experience approving or checking engineering drawings, design data or technical reports

• Broad structural design experience with exposure to physical systems installation and multidisciplinary interfaces

• An understanding of the full product development lifecycle, including verification and certification

• Experience delegating technical work, setting priorities and coordinating delivery across engineers or contractors

• The confidence to make sound decisions under scrutiny and challenge work that is not supported by sufficient evidence

• Strong communication and organisation skills, with the ability to maintain focus in a fast-moving delivery environment

Experience within aerospace would be valuable, particularly across eVTOL, prototype aircraft, MRO, aircraft modification or special-mission programmes. We will also consider relevant experience from other safety-critical sectors where you can demonstrate strong design, integration and release capability.

Experience with CATIA V5 or 3DEXPERIENCE would be an advantage.

We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career.

Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal. 

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.