Senior Airspace Engineer

 

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:

Electra aero is seeking an experienced Airspace Engineer to develop the methods, concepts, and procedures required to safely integrate Ultra Short operations into major airports and novel, distributed access points.

This role requires a deep understanding of the intersection of aircraft performance, airspace design, VFR/IFR procedures, FAA/EASA regulations, and real-world operational constraints.

The Senior Airspace Engineer will develop thought-leadership materials through close collaboration with the Electra product team. These materials will draw on tabletop exercises with the FAA, flight demonstrations conducted under the eIPP program, and insights from first-principles engineering analysis, simulation, and flight test.

The ideal candidate is fluent in today's airspace concepts and the approach and departure procedures used at major airports. They have led or contributed to research that translates novel aircraft capabilities into new operational procedures. They are comfortable working directly with regulators, air navigation service providers, airport authorities, and local stakeholders to advance specific integration projects.

 

What You'll Do:

• Translate EL9 performance characteristics into key Ultra Short operational capabilities related to ground footprint, obstacle clearance, and maneuvering capabilities.
• Work closely with aircraft performance engineers to model EL9 capability across normal, degraded, and contingency cases and incorporate system safety analysis into the range of feasible Ultra Short procedures.
• Derive candidate procedures to access novel urban access points and existing airports
• Review existing FAA, EASA, ICAO, and national standards-including fixed-wing, heliport, and vertiport frameworks-to identify regulatory or policy gaps to implementing the proposed procedures.
• Author thought leadership material introducing novel Ultra Short operational concepts that can be leveraged in engagement with regulators, local stakeholders and airport authorities.
• Represent Electra in working groups with the FAA, EASA, ICAO to shape USAP standards, guidance and policy.
• Structure flight demonstration programs to validate proposed operational concepts for internal research, and the FAA eIPP program and CRADA
• Support Electra's commercial and infrastructure partnerships teams in evaluating the feasibility of candidate access point locations in urban settings and at airports.
• Provide technical and regulatory subject matter expertise in engagements with airports, infrastructure developers, and local authorities.

 

What You Bring:

• Masters/PhD degree in aerospace engineering, aviation management, airport planning, or related field
• 5+ years in airspace management related research, policy and regulatory development, airspace/procedure design, or similar domain.
• Strong working knowledge of FAA and/or EASA regulatory frameworks (AC 150 series, Part 135, Part 23, TERPS/PANS-OPS, and relevant airport design standards)
• Prior experience leading or contributing to airspace integration research (e.g., FAA/NASA/MITRE airspace modernization research) a strong plus.
• Prior experience working with regulators, air navigation service providers, airport operators, and industry partners.
• Strong technical writing skills and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment with evolving requirements and limited precedent.

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