The Deputy Chief Engineer for Aircraft Integration is a premier technical leadership role responsible for whole-aircraft convergence across SkyDrive’s commercial eVTOL platform. Reporting directly to the Head of Vehicle Development, you will serve as the primary engineering authority ensuring that all complex sub-systems—composite airframes, high-voltage battery architecture, distributed electric propulsion (DEP), fly-by-wire flight controls, and avionics—synthesize into an ultra-lightweight, safe, and certifiable aircraft.

Unlike siloed discipline leads, your mission is whole-aircraft synthesis. You will lead the cross-functional resolution of critical aerospace trade-offs: balancing payload and range against thermal limits, acoustics, aeroelastic loads, weight margins, and system safety. You will establish aircraft-level engineering governance, own the vehicle technical baseline, and guide the platform from detailed design through full-scale flight testing and Type Certification (TC).

What You’ll Do

1. Whole-Aircraft Synthesis & Technical Governance

Own the integrated aircraft-level technical baseline across all program gates—from preliminary design to full-scale prototype build, flight test, and commercial Type Certification (TC).

Establish aircraft-level engineering governance, technical risk registers, and decision-making frameworks for baseline design changes and configuration control.

Drive multidisciplinary trade studies (e.g., hover/cruise power efficiency vs. thermal dissipation vs. acoustic footprint vs. battery mass) to maximize commercial payload and range performance.

2. Cross-Disciplinary Integration & Technical Loop Convergence

Direct cross-functional alignment across all core vehicle physics and system domains:

Flight Physics & Handling Qualities: Aerodynamics, stability and control, handling qualities in hover/transition/wing-borne flight, and flight control law integration.

Loads & Dynamics: Convergence of static/dynamic load loops, aeroelasticity, rotor-induced vibration, and dynamic landing loads.

Mass Properties: Enforce strict aircraft empty weight, CG envelope tracking, and growth allowance management.

Electric Powertrain & Thermal Integration: High-voltage DC distribution, thermal management systems, battery packaging, and motor/inverter interface synthesis.

Acoustics & Environmental: Low-noise rotor signature optimization and environmental qualification (DO-160).

3. Systems Engineering & Interface Architecture (ARP4754B)

Lead top-level requirements allocation, validation, and verification in strict accordance with SAE ARP4754B guidelines.

Define and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) across internal work packages and external Tier-1 aerospace suppliers.

Lead cross-functional problem-solving initiatives to resolve mechanical, electrical, and software interface conflicts before hardware integration.

4. Safety Synthesis & Type Certification Support

Collaborate with System Safety and Certification leads to ensure full vehicle compliance with civil airworthiness frameworks (JCAB, FAA, EASA—e.g., SC-VTOL, Part 23/27/29 equivalents).

Oversee the synthesis of Functional Hazard Assessments (FHA), Aircraft System Safety Assessments (ASA), and failure-state propagation analysis (ARP4761).

Review and approve aircraft-level technical deliverables, flight clearance documentation, and Means of Compliance (MoC) dossiers.

5. Team Leadership & Engineering Culture

Build, mentor, and direct a world-class team of Systems Integration Engineers and Aircraft Architects.

Cultivate an open, agile, and rigorous engineering culture that emphasizes rapid problem resolution, cross-silo transparency, and psychological safety.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, Systems, or Mechanical Engineering.

10–12+ Years of Aircraft OEM Experience: Proven track record in whole-aircraft integration, systems architecture, or flight physics leadership within commercial/business aviation OEMs, rotary-wing OEMs, or leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) developers.