Senior Avionics Certification Engineer

Company Description

General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of more than 13,000 top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defence and scientific arenas. In the UK, we are leading the way in avionics and communication systems. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency.

General Dynamics in St Leonards-on-Sea currently provide avionic mission computing systems for a wide range of military fast jets, helicopters, and UAV’s. Recent success has resulted in General Dynamics developing the next generation of Advanced High Performance, Safety Critical Mission Computer Systems to meet the needs of latest platforms in development by several aircraft manufacturers. These Mission Computing Systems provide the functionality that integrates aircraft systems, sensor systems and stores management systems with the information and control systems required by the aircrew to meet the demanding operational needs of these aircraft.

Job Description

Join our certification engineering team and help deliver future combat-air capability as part of the GCAP programme. You will support the certification of complex, safety-critical avionics and mission-computing systems, ensuring that compliance requirements are understood and appropriately evidenced throughout the engineering lifecycle.

Working alongside specialists across systems, software, hardware, safety and quality, you will help produce the plans, evidence and assurance artefacts needed to demonstrate compliance. This is an opportunity to influence advanced airborne technology while contributing to a strategically important UK defence programme.

In this role you will: 

• Develop and maintain certification plans, compliance documentation and supporting assurance artefacts for complex airborne systems
• Interpret applicable certification objectives and work with engineering teams to identify the evidence required to demonstrate compliance
• Support the definition and implementation of certification and compliance approaches across the engineering lifecycle
• Review systems, software and hardware lifecycle evidence for completeness, consistency and compliance
• Work closely with systems, software, hardware, safety and quality teams to ensure certification considerations are embedded within product development
• Support internal and external audits, reviews and certification-assurance activities
• Identify certification risks, gaps and dependencies, supporting the development of proportionate corrective actions
• Engage with customers, programme partners and relevant assurance stakeholders on certification evidence and progress
• Contribute to the continual improvement of certification processes, methods and guidance

Qualifications

Essential Experience

• Experience in certification, compliance, assurance or airworthiness within aerospace, defence or another complex, safety-critical engineering environment

• Knowledge of airborne software and/or electronic hardware certification, including familiarity with DO-178C and/or DO-254
• Experience producing, reviewing or supporting certification plans, compliance evidence or lifecycle assurance documentation
• Ability to interpret certification requirements and communicate them clearly to multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Experience working with systems, software, hardware, safety or quality specialists to resolve compliance issues
• Strong technical-documentation skills, with the ability to produce clear, structured and auditable evidence
• Degree-level qualification in an engineering, scientific or technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience
• Experience working with or familiarity with AI/ML models is preferred

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting certification audits, reviews or regulatory engagement
• Knowledge of systems-development and safety-assessment processes for airborne products
• Experience identifying and managing certification risks, gaps, actions and dependencies
• Familiarity with requirements-management, configuration-management or engineering lifecycle tools
• Experience with complex avionics, embedded systems, mission systems, electronic hardware or safety-critical software
• Experience working with customers, design organisations, certification authorities or independent assurance stakeholders
• Knowledge of latest developments and guidance issued by authorities, including EASA AMCs and FAA Advisory Circular (AC)

Additional Information

This role has a salary of between £45,600 and £60,000 plus our flexible benefits package.

We are open to this role being spent with time working from home and in the office (hybrid - typically 3 days working in office) on a weekly basis or fully in our offices.

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose, offering impressive benefits: 

• A compressed nine-day fortnight and compressed hours - which means every other Friday off. 
• A personalized career development plan, alongside regular progress reviews - supporting and valuing your progression within the Company. 
• A flexible working environment where your contributions are recognized and rewarded with flexible benefits 

We believe in maintaining a diverse workplace - inclusive of beliefs, cultural background, job experiences, thoughts and ideas. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we welcome you to join our inclusive team!

Our success is fuelled by our colleagues and the wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills they bring to the Company.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, as such we offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job.
Please email disabilityconfident@gd-ms.uk if you would like your application to be considered under the DC Scheme.

All successful/appointed applicants must be able to obtain a level of UK Security clearance that is appropriate for the role and undertake suitable Right to work checks.

Every application matters to us. We want you to know that each application we receive is reviewed by a real person—not just an algorithm. Our screening questions are also carefully considered to help us understand your experience and fit for the role.

We appreciate the time you take to apply.