Senior / Principal Airframe Design Engineer

About Electra

At Electra, we're pioneering hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft that redefine regional air mobility. Our technology enables operations from soccer-field-sized spaces, unlocking thousands of new locations and enabling what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, efficient, point-to-point travel closer to where people live and work.

Headquartered in Manassas, VA, with additional operations in Switzerland, Electra is backed by industry leaders and advancing toward certification. We're a growing team of innovators working at the forefront of sustainable aviation. Every hire plays a critical role in shaping the future of flight.

The Role

As a Senior or Principal Airframe Design Engineer, you will lead the design, integration, and development of primary and secondary aircraft structures for Electra's nine-passenger EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft.

This role is responsible for driving structural design activities from initial concept through detailed design, testing, certification, and production readiness. You will work closely with aerodynamics, systems, propulsion, stress, certification, manufacturing, and supplier teams to ensure aircraft structures meet performance, safety, manufacturability, weight, and regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative engineer with deep airframe design expertise, strong CAD proficiency, and the ability to drive complex technical decisions in a fast-paced aircraft development environment.

What You'll Do

• Lead the design and development of primary and secondary aircraft structures, including fuselage, wing, empennage, and landing gear integration
• Own structural design activities from concept development through detailed design, certification, and production support
• Define structural requirements, design criteria, material selections, and architecture decisions supporting airworthiness requirements
• Develop high-quality engineering deliverables including:
  • 3D CAD models
  • Engineering drawings
  • Interface Control Documents (ICDs)
  • Design reports
  • Configuration-controlled product definition
• Execute trade studies evaluating materials, manufacturing methods, configurations, and integration approaches to optimize weight, cost, manufacturability, and performance
• Collaborate closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, systems, stress, manufacturing, supplier, and certification teams to develop integrated design solutions
• Support structural analysis activities by partnering with stress engineers on static strength, fatigue, durability, and load path considerations
• Participate in and present at major design reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, and certification reviews
• Support supplier selection, technical oversight, manufacturability assessments, and design issue resolution
• Contribute to design-for-manufacturability, design-to-cost, and production readiness initiatives
• Help establish and improve structural design processes, standards, tools, and best practices
• Stay informed on emerging aircraft technologies, advanced materials, manufacturing methods, and certification requirements

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• Experience in aircraft structural design, airframe development, and system integration
• Strong understanding of metallic and composite aircraft structures
• Demonstrated experience supporting conceptual, preliminary, and detailed aircraft design
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools, preferably Siemens NX or CATIA V5/V6
• Familiarity with FAA Part 23 and/or Part 25 certification requirements
• Working knowledge of:
  • Aircraft loads
  • Structural analysis fundamentals
  • Fatigue and durability considerations
  • Structural integration principles
• Experience creating aerospace engineering drawings and configuration-controlled design documentation
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and execute effectively in a fast-paced development environment
• Experience working within multidisciplinary aircraft development teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline
• Experience supporting aircraft development programs from concept through certification and production
• Experience with hybrid-electric, eSTOL, eVTOL, or advanced air mobility aircraft programs
• Familiarity with composite manufacturing processes such as AFP, infusion, or hand layup
• Experience using finite element analysis tools such as NASTRAN, FEMAP, or HyperMesh
• Experience with weight optimization, design-for-manufacturability, and design-to-cost initiatives
• Familiarity with requirements management and PLM tools such as JAMA or Teamcenter
• Experience collaborating with suppliers on design, fabrication, tooling, or integration activities
• Private pilot certificate or a strong passion for aviation

Location & Travel

Location: Olten, Switzerland . On-site presence is strongly preferred to support collaboration across engineering, manufacturing, and test organizations.

Travel: Less than 10%

Leveling Expectations

Level (Senior or Principal) will be determined based on the candidate's experience, design ownership, technical leadership, and organizational impact.

Both levels require strong airframe design expertise, sound engineering judgment, and the ability to deliver aircraft structures that meet certification, performance, and production requirements. Differentiation is based on technical breadth, leadership, decision-making authority, and influence across the program.

Senior Airframe Design Engineer (5+ Years)

• Demonstrates strong expertise in aircraft structural design and integration
• Independently owns component and subsystem-level design efforts
• Develops and releases detailed design solutions with minimal oversight
• Leads trade studies and design optimization efforts within assigned areas
• Collaborates effectively across stress, manufacturing, systems, and certification teams
• Supports supplier coordination and technical issue resolution
• Contributes to design reviews, certification activities, and production readiness efforts
• Provides mentorship and technical guidance to early-career engineers

Principal Airframe Design Engineer (10+ Years)

• Recognized technical leader in airframe design, structural integration, and aircraft development
• Owns major airframe assemblies and drives architectural decisions across multiple aircraft systems
• Establishes design methodologies, standards, and best practices for the organization
• Leads complex multidisciplinary trade studies balancing performance, manufacturability, certification, schedule, and cost
• Influences aircraft-level structural architecture and long-term product strategy
• Serves as a key technical authority during certification, design reviews, and external partner engagements
• Mentors engineers across the organization and elevates overall engineering capability
• Drives cross-functional alignment and resolves highly complex technical challenges
• Plays a significant role in shaping future aircraft development approaches and design philosophies

Compensation

$130,000.00 – $180,000.00 annually. This range reflects the anticipated hiring range across all eligible locations; actual compensation is determined based on relevant experience, education, skills, level, and geographic location. Total compensation includes performance bonus, equity eligibility, and comprehensive benefits.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and equity
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• Generous PTO, sick leave, and company holidays
• Paid winter break
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Free catered lunches, coffee, snacks, and drinks at our Manassas headquarters
• Free on-site parking
• Opportunity to help design, certify, and bring to market a groundbreaking hybrid-electric aircraft that will redefine regional air mobility through Direct Aviation.