Senior / Principal Engineer – Electromechanical Actuation

About the company

Electra develops hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft with distributed electric propulsion and blown lift, turbine genset in-flight recharging, carrying 7–9 passengers or ~3,000 lb from very short unimproved runways.

About this role

<div class="content-intro"><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>About Electra</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At Electra, we’re building the EL9 — a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology unlocks thousands of new operating locations and enables what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, point-to-point regional travel that gets people from where they are to where they want to go, without the congestion of major airports or the noise of conventional aviation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A global company, headquartered in Manassas, VA, Electra is backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran, has filed for FAA Part 23 type certification, and carries 2,000+ intent to purchase from operators worldwide. We’re a team of ~100 people moving fast toward first EL9 test flights in 2027 and certification by late 2029 or 2030. Every hire matters at this stage — and this role is no exception.</span></p></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span data-contrast="auto">The Role</span></strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">As a Senior / Principal Engineer – Electromechanical Actuation, you will serve as the technical authority for our aircraft actuation systems, with primary responsibility for development of the actuation systems on the EL9 Ultra Short Aircraft.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">You will define requirements, guide supplier development, and ensure delivered hardware meets Electra's performance, safety, and certification standards. You will play a critical role in ensuring actuation systems are fully integrated, validated, and compliant within a highly coupled hybrid-electric aircraft architecture.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">This is a highly cross-functional and externally facing role, requiring strong technical judgment, supplier engagement, and systems thinking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span data-contrast="auto">What You'll Do</span></strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Serve as the technical owner for electromechanical actuation systems, including supplier-developed hardware, across the full lifecycle from requirements through certification</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Define actuator requirements, interfaces, and acceptance criteria, and ensure alignment with aircraft-level performance, safety, and integration needs</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Provide technical oversight of suppliers, including design reviews, analysis/test evaluation, and issue resolution to ensure compliant, high-quality deliverables</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Lead integration of actuation systems with flight controls, structures, and electrical systems, ensuring proper functionality, reliability, and maintainability</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Support certification activities by developing compliance artifacts, contributing to safety assessments, and ensuring supplier deliverables meet regulatory expectations</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Collaborate cross-functionally and support system- and aircraft-level verification, including ground and flight testing</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span data-contrast="auto">What You'll Bring:</span></strong></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Bachelor's degree and 8+ years (Senior) or 10+ years (Principal) of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Strong understanding of electromechanical actuation systems and their application in aircraft or similar systems</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Experience integrating complex subsystems into a larger platform, including interface definition and system-level considerations</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Familiarity with systems engineering practices, including requirements development, validation, and traceability</span></li> <li style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-contrast="auto">Knowledge of certification processes (FAA Part 23/25 or equivalent) and safety-c