Hiring: Principal Certification Engineer Company: Thales Location: Orlando, FL Job Posted Time: 2026-09-16 12:23:11 Employment Type: Hybrid Target Skills & Keywords : Program Management, Risk Management About the job Experience: •10+ years of progressive experience in FAA certification, including demonstrated experience leading certification strategy and execution for complex STC or Type Certificate programs. Required Skills: •Define and lead certification strategy across multiple complex programs, ensuring alignment with FAA regulations, ODA requirements, STC requirements, and airframe manufacturer standards. •Serve as the primary certification point of contact for STC projects with FAA representatives, ODA Unit Members, airframe manufacturers, external partners, contractors, structural consultants, and internal cross-functional stakeholders. •Lead and manage STC project execution, including certification planning, compliance documentation, drawings of compliance, supportive STC package development, requirements flow-down, schedule alignment, and delivery of certification milestones. •Provide technical governance and review of type design data, installation drawings, materials, processes, airworthiness limitations, compliance data, and structural substantiation provided by internal teams or external consultants. •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, test strategies, test plans, execution oversight, deviation resolution, compliance validation, and alignment across engineering, program management, ODA resources, and external partners. •Oversee external partners and structural consultants, ensuring effective requirements flow-down, technical coordination, compliance demonstration, documentation quality, 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. Qualifications: •Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required, advanced degree preferred. •Mechanical engineering background with understanding of 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 coordinate cross-functional stakeholders, regulatory authorities, airframe manufacturers, external partners, and structural consultants 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. •Advanced knowledge of RTCA DO-160 and related environmental qualification standards. •Operational familiarity with global certification environments, including EASA or other international aviation authorities. •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! Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!