Senior Avionic Systems Engineer - CNS

Department: Engineering Delivery & Design Organisation

Location: Bristol Office

Employment Type: FullTime

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky.

We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

What to expect

We are seeking a highly talented Avionic Systems Engineer to lead the design, development and integration of the Communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Maintenance Systems for an eVTOL platform.

The candidate will have a solid foundation in avionics and hands-on experience of system design, integration, verification and certification activities. They will contribute to the full lifecycle of avionics development, including definition, integration and support for certification.

This role is ideal for someone who has 8 or more years of relevant experience and can take ownership of key technical work packages.

What you'll do

• Avionics: Lead an engineering team focused on the aircraft communication, navigation, surveillance and maintenance system design and integration activities. Develop requirements, description documents, interface control documents, test procedure and reports. Oversee test plan development, commissioning and troubleshooting activities.

• Modelling & Requirements Management: Capture engineering specifications in Vertical’s modelling & requirements environment, enabling end-to-end traceability for the designed components and ensuring all relevant certification requirements are captured and decomposed.

• System Integration: Coordinate with interdisciplinary teams and suppliers to ensure system compatibility and integration into a platform. Work with flight test teams and lead/conduct ground and systems integration tests to deliver a certifiable and customer acceptable avionics solution.

• Deliver: Lead work packages within the Vehicle Systems team. Deliver designs, take responsibility for hardware & software delivery plans, ensure verification activities are executed efficiently and produce high quality design documentation.

• Technological Advancement: Stay current with technological advancements and look to implement new technologies into designs.

What you'll bring

• Bachelors or masters degree in avionics engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical & electronic engineering or a related field. Additional training in systems engineering is a plus.

• Proven experience in avionic systems engineering (>8 years). Working knowledge of communication, navigation, surveillance and maintenance systems.

• Membership of a relevant professional body, such as the Royal Aeronautical Society or Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

• Familiarity and experience working with ARP4761, ARP4754 and DO-160.

• Familiarity with avionics standards and communication protocols (e.g., ARINC 429, CAN, RS-422 and ARINC 664).

• Proficiency in systems engineering tools and methodologies.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.

• Knowledge of aviation regulations (e.g., FAA, EASA) and standards related to communication, navigation, surveillance and maintenance systems.

• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management systems (3DX preferred)

• Experience with system modelling applications (MATLAB System Composer preferred).

• Experience with requirements management tools (JAMA preferred).

What can you expect from us?

We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career.

Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal. 

Our benefits

Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.

• 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday

• 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)

• 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership

• Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits

• Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand)

• Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance

• Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee

• Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it

• Breakfast on us, every day

We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.

Disclaimer Statement

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.