Principal Certification Engineer
Irvine, CA and or Orlando, FL (Hybrid)
Position Summary
Thales is looking for a Principal Certification Engineer, whose role is to lead and govern the FAA certification strategy and execution for complex, high-impact programs within the In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) and aircraft communications domains. This role is responsible for ensuring structural compliance, certification integrity, and regulatory alignment across the full product lifecycle, including Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and airframe manufacturer Type Certificate projects.
In this position, you will provide project-level technical leadership, regulatory interpretation, and certification strategy across multiple programs, helping ensure compliance with FAA requirements while supporting design decisions, certification planning, and program risk management. You will serve as a key interface with FAA ODA, airframe manufacturers, and internal stakeholders to define certification frameworks, establish best practices, and maintain consistent compliance standards across programs. Partnering closely with engineering, program management, certification, and cross-functional teams, you will help drive efficient certification execution, support evolving regulatory requirements, mentor engineers, and strengthen the organization’s overall technical certification capability.
Key Areas of Responsibility
- Define and lead certification strategy for structural compliance across multiple complex programs, ensuring alignment with FAA regulations, ODA requirements, STC requirements, and airframe manufacturer standards.
- Serve as the technical authority and primary point of contact for structural certification matters with FAA representatives, ODA Unit Members, airframe manufacturers, external partners, contractors, and internal cross-functional stakeholders.
- Provide technical governance and oversight of structural substantiation, type design data, installation drawings, materials, processes, airworthiness limitations, and analysis activities, including statics, dynamics, damage tolerance, loads, materials, FEA, and CFD.
- Influence product design and engineering decisions by integrating certification requirements early in the development lifecycle, mitigating program risk, optimizing certification outcomes, and supporting resolution of complex certification challenges, including corrective action plans, AMOCs, and regulatory engagement.
- Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary certification and test efforts, including certification planning, structural test strategies, test plans, execution oversight, deviation resolution, compliance validation, requirements flow-down, and delivery performance aligned to program objectives.
- Establish and maintain certification processes, standards, and best practices while supporting audits, regulatory reviews, continued airworthiness activities, in-service issue resolution, repair scheme approvals, ICA development, and mentoring engineering talent to elevate organizational capability.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required, advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in aircraft structures engineering and FAA certification, including demonstrated experience leading certification strategy and execution for complex STC or Type Certificate programs.
- Deep expertise in structural substantiation methods, including statics, dynamics, damage tolerance, loads, materials, finite element analysis (FEA), and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
- Extensive knowledge of FAA regulatory frameworks, including Title 14 CFR Parts 21, 25, and 26, as well as ODA processes and certification compliance expectations.
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders, senior leadership, regulatory authorities, airframe manufacturers, and external partners on complex technical and certification matters.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, written communication, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex regulatory and technical requirements into actionable engineering direction.
Special Position Requirements
- Experience acting as a primary certification focal, technical lead, or key interface with FAA, ODA, airframe manufacturers, or regulatory authorities.
- Advanced knowledge of RTCA DO-160 and related environmental qualification standards.
- Experience supporting multiple concurrent certification programs, complex STC programs, Type Certificate programs, or enterprise-level certification initiatives.
- Familiarity with global certification environments, including EASA or other international aviation authorities.
- Experience driving process improvement, standardization, audit readiness, or best-practice initiatives within certification or engineering organizations.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.
If you’re excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community!
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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.Thales champions inclusion and we believe diversity strengthens the fabric of our culture. Thales is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.
If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at talentacquisition@us.thalesgroup.com.
The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between
Total Target Cash (TTC) 0.00 - 187,601.25 USD Annual
This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.
(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please raise HR request through MyThales)
Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:
•Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance
•Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period
•Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off
•Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program