Deputy Chief Engineer VTOL development

ARENGY is recruiting, on behalf of one of its clients, a UAE-based company developing a new light aircraft, a Deputy Chief Engineer for a permanent position.

The Deputy Chief Engineer leads Flight Physics, Powertrain, Propulsion and Structures for the VTOL aircraft. As the Chief Engineer's deputy and delegated technical authority for these disciplines, you are accountable for engineering quality, technical decisions and delivery.

You will work with the Chief Engineer and the Deputy Chief Engineer for Avionics, Software and Flight Controls to align aircraft requirements, interfaces and priorities through design, build, flight testing and civil certification.

• Lead four engineering teams. Manage the team leads, set priorities, allocate resources and develop team capability. Agree schedules and budgets with project managers, track milestones and implement recovery plans when delivery slips.
• Oversee discipline engineering. Direct aerodynamics, performance, stability, loads and flight-envelope definition. Oversee power generation, energy storage, distribution and cooling, lift and cruise propulsion, and structural design, fatigue, aeroelasticity and testing.
• Integrate aircraft systems. Agree shared interfaces with the fellow deputy, including aircraft and propulsion models, commands and operating limits, electrical loads, sensors, actuators and structural interfaces. Escalate unresolved decisions and changes affecting aircraft baselines, safety or certification to the Chief Engineer.
• Manage technical budgets and margins. Track aircraft mass and centre of gravity, performance, thrust, power, energy, cooling and structural margins. Lead trade studies and secure approval for changes to aircraft allocations.
• Approve engineering deliverables. Lead technical reviews and approve designs, analyses, test plans and results within delegated authority. Ensure independent verification, configuration control and closure of review findings before build and test releases.
• Lead verification and certification within scope. Maintain traceability from airworthiness requirements to compliance evidence, ensure test article conformity, and assess design changes for their impact on certification and retesting. Coordinate with Systems Engineering, Safety, Certification and Design Assurance, support authority reviews and drive flight-test findings to closure.

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical or Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. A relevant master's degree is preferred.
• At least 12 years of aerospace engineering experience, including 5 years leading multidisciplinary teams or major aircraft development work packages.
• Proven leadership in aircraft development and civil certification, including design review closure, compliance substantiation, build release and flight-test issue resolution.
• Deep expertise in at least one of the four disciplines and the breadth to make sound integration decisions across all four. Hybrid-electric VTOL or unmanned aircraft experience is preferred.
• Experience managing engineering suppliers, supporting production, controlling technical budgets and developing engineering leaders.

Success is measured by on-time engineering approvals and build releases, closure of interface and certification actions with accepted evidence, adherence to approved technical margins, verified resolution of flight-test and supplier issues, and development of the four teams.