Senior​/Principal Engineer – Electric Engine Lead

About Electra

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.

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.

The Role

As a Senior / Principal Engineer – Electric Engine Lead, you will serve as the technical authority for development of the electric engine(s) on the EL9 Ultra Short Aircraft.

You will refine requirements, guide supplier development, serve as approval authority on supplier design reviews, develop and define interfaces internally and externally and ensure delivered hardware meets Electra's performance, safety, and certification standards. You will play a critical role in ensuring electric propulsion systems are fully integrated, validated, and compliant within a highly coupled hybrid-electric aircraft architecture.

This is a highly cross-functional and externally facing role, requiring strong technical judgment, supplier engagement, and systems thinking.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the technical owner for electric engine development, including supplier-developed hardware, across the full lifecycle from requirements through certification
• Refine electric engine requirements, interfaces, and acceptance criteria, and ensure alignment with aircraft-level performance, safety, and integration needs
• Provide technical oversight of suppliers, including design reviews, analysis/test evaluation, and issue resolution to ensure compliant, high-quality deliverables
• Lead integration of the electric engine with the propeller, electrical systems, and airframe, ensuring proper functionality, reliability, and maintainability
• Support certification activities by authoring specifications, test plans, compliance artifacts, contributing to safety assessments, and ensuring supplier deliverables meet regulatory expectations
• Collaborate cross-functionally and support system- and aircraft-level verification, including ground and flight testing

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years (Senior) or 10+ years (Principal) of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Strong understanding of electric propulsion systems (motors, inverters/power electronics, cooling) and their application in aircraft or similar systems
• Experience integrating complex subsystems into a larger platform, including interface definition and system-level considerations
• Familiarity with systems engineering practices, including requirements development, validation, and traceability per SAE ARP
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• Knowledge of certification processes (FAA Part 23/25 or equivalent) and safety-critical development practices (FHA, FMEA, FTA) per SAE ARP
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• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to work effectively across internal teams and external partners
• Experience managing suppliers to meet deliverables on-time with high quality in the face of multiple risks

Bonus Points

• Experience overseeing suppliers in the development of aircraft electric propulsion systems (motors, inverters, or integrated electric propulsion units)
• Prior involvement in…