Certification Engineer

Role Overview

Join Dawn Aerospace as a Certification Engineer contributing to the development of a remotely piloted reusable spaceplane that merges rocket performance with aircraft reusability. This role involves ownership of risk and mitigation efforts within flight operations, analyzing safety risks in complex unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations, and interpreting high-level safety objectives together with engineering and flight operations teams to ensure safe operations.

You will play a key role in the safety case proving that unmanned rocket-powered flights to space can be conducted frequently and safely. The position demands a practical, well-organized individual comfortable managing responsibilities in a dynamic environment and collaborating across teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead certification projects and maintain communications with civil aviation authorities and external stakeholders to reach agreements on risk mitigations, resolving safety approach conflicts constructively.
• Collaborate closely with Flight Operations and Systems Engineering teams to provide requirements, safety objectives, guidance, and feedback on work packages, ensuring timely delivery of certification artifacts and efficient reviews.
• Conduct systematic identification and evaluation of all risks associated with unmanned aircraft operations using industry standards such as JARUS SORA, deciding on mitigations and standards in the flight operations domain to meet safety objectives.
• Take comprehensive ownership of operational constraints and measures to protect the public, including airspace and marine safety considerations; ensure company-wide implementation and verification of safety mitigations documented clearly for certification.
• Maintain and update the exposition and related procedures so that documentation accurately reflects current practices at Dawn Aerospace.
• Manage relationships and set requirements for external parties contributing to the safety case, including aerodrome operators, air traffic services, information providers, and training organizations.
• Develop flight test and operations risk management strategies to assure safety amid technical uncertainties during testing or new mission profiles.
• Offer leadership and guidance to flight operations personnel regarding standards for procedure validation, crew training, human factors, and human-machine interface evaluations.
• Set requirements for detect-and-avoid systems within operating airspace, collaborating with engineering teams to influence design and meet safety goals.
• Act as a safety observer monitoring flight operations for adherence to procedures, identifying and addressing unsafe conditions pre- and post-flight.
• Oversee crew duty and rest management to mitigate human factors risks during operations.
• Ensure the adequacy of emergency response plans and lead response teams on site during aircraft emergencies.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate has strong background as a certification engineer, flight test engineer, flight safety specialist, or launch safety official, with proven experience in UAS or rocket launch operations. They are adept at influencing across engineering and operational disciplines and comfortable crafting concise safety cases for complex activities. Candidates should be skilled at transforming broad or unclear safety objectives into precise direction for teams working in areas with limited precedents.

Desired Expertise Areas (at least two or three)

• Managing certification projects in safety-critical domains
• Developing safety cases for unmanned aircraft operations in medium or high-risk categories
• Knowledge of civil aviation regulations, airspace classifications, and flight procedures
• Experience with launch safety and obtaining launch licenses
• Familiarity with quality management and safety management systems

Success Factors

• A strong drive to resolve complex safety challenges
• Ability to balance risk trade-offs among technical, aviation safety, commercial, and scheduling aspects
• Effective collaboration with diverse teams across flight operations and engineering
• Receptiveness to feedback from peers, regulators, and external agencies, adapting approaches accordingly
• Ownership of high-level goals and leadership to motivate team delivery
• Creativity in pioneering certification paths, leveraging standards selectively when applicable

Why Work With Dawn Aerospace?

This opportunity involves working on a pioneering aerospace vehicle at the convergence of aviation and spaceflight. Team members hold significant ownership in critical vehicle functions, collaborate with highly skilled engineers, and tackle unique technical challenges, directly impacting how safety, reliability, and operational readiness are demonstrated for transitioning from development to regular operations.

Diversity and Inclusion

Dawn Aerospace is committed to building better solutions through diverse teams and fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals are valued and empowered to perform at their best.

About the Company

Dawn Aerospace is dedicated to enabling the next generation of space users through sustainable and scalable space transportation solutions. Their focus includes:

• In-space propulsion: supplying green propulsion systems for satellites, with over 170 units in flight and additional units in production.
• In-space servicing: facilitating satellite refueling services to extend operational life, promoting space sustainability.
• Spaceplane: developing a reusable, rocket-powered sub-orbital spaceplane offering fast runway takeoff and enabling frequent, affordable space access.

Distributed teams operate internationally across the Netherlands, France, New Zealand, and the USA.

Additional Information

If you believe you have the required skills but do not meet every qualification exactly, the company encourages you to apply. Recruitment agencies are not accepted and unsolicited resumes will not be considered or compensated.