Engineering Lead - Certifications

SUMMARY

The Engineering Lead - Certification provides senior technical leadership for aerospace certification, qualification, and first part qualification (FPQ) activities within a defined certification domain. This role is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing certification efforts for complex aerospace systems or structures, ensuring compliance with regulatory, customer, and internal requirements. The Engineering Lead serves as a central technical authority, integrating cross-functional teams, managing execution risk, and driving timely closure of certification actions. The position is engaged to support high-visibility, schedule-critical programs where deep technical expertise, strong judgment, and disciplined execution are required to deliver predictable certification outcomes.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Lead aerospace certification, qualification, and first part qualification (FPQ) activities for assigned systems, structures, or certification domains
• Develop, integrate, and execute certification and qualification plans aligned with regulatory, customer, and internal requirements
• Serve as a primary technical point of contact for certification matters across engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and OEM partners
• Coordinate and lead cross-functional teams to ensure certification deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule
• Plan, facilitate, and lead recurring certification and qualification meetings, driving accountability and forward progress
• Document, track, and manage certification and qualification action items to closure
• Identify, assess, and manage technical, quality, manufacturing, and schedule risks impacting certification milestones
• Lead Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) efforts for certification findings, test issues, and nonconformances
• Support FPQ and FAI activities to ensure production readiness and compliance
• Develop and maintain clear metrics and status reporting that communicate certification progress, risks, and readiness
• Provide technical guidance and decision support to program and functional leadership
• Proactively resolve issues to reduce escalation and minimize program disruption

KNOWLEDGE

• Aerospace certification and qualification processes applicable to assigned discipline (e.g., structures, composites, propulsion, fire, lightning, systems)
• First Part Qualification (FPQ) and First Article Inspection (FAI) methodologies in production environments
• Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) tools and problem-solving frameworks
• Engineering test planning, execution, and documentation requirements
• Aerospace quality systems, regulatory requirements, and OEM specifications
• Cross-functional coordination with manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and OEM partners

COMPETENCIES

• High technical credibility and sound engineering judgment
• Ability to lead complex certification efforts without direct authority
• Strong stakeholder management skills across engineering, manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and customers
• Clear, concise communication with both technical teams and leadership
• Structured, data-driven problem-solving with a strong bias toward execution and closure
• Ability to independently prioritize work, manage risk, and escalate issues appropriately

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline required
• 8-12+ years of experience in aerospace engineering, certification, qualification, or closely related technical roles
• Demonstrated experience leading certification and qualification activities for complex aerospace systems or structures
• Proven success supporting FPQ/FAI in a production or pre-production environment
• Direct experience working with OEMs, supplier quality organizations, and cross-site engineering teams
• Prior experience in high-visibility, schedule-critical programs strongly preferred

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work is performed in a professional engineering environment with frequent interaction across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and program teams
• Regular on-site presence in a production or program environment to support daily coordination, issue resolution, and certification activities
• Participation in recurring meetings, reviews, and working sessions related to certification and qualification efforts
• May require flexible scheduling to support critical certification milestones, test activities, or issue resolution
• Occasional travel to supplier, test facility, or customer locations as required by program needs
• Work is performed in accordance with applicable aerospace safety, quality, and confidentiality requirements

WORK AUTHORIZATION/SECURITY CLEARANCE

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• If a Security Clearance is required:
• Candidates "must/may need" to be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance
• Successful candidates must be able to secure Program Access approval