Process Assurance Engineer

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Summary

The Process Assurance Engineer provides independent verification that aerospace development activities comply with approved development plans and regulatory requirements. This position is critical for EASA SC-VTOL-01 certification programs involving DAL A safety-critical systems, where ARP4754B mandates independent process assurance activities distinct from development and quality assurance functions.

Key Responsibilities

Process Assurance (Primary)

• Review development assurance plans (system development, requirements management, verification, safety, configuration management, supplier management) for completeness, consistency, and compliance with ARP4754B objectives

• Conduct periodic audits of development activities including requirements validation, design reviews, verification execution, safety analysis, and supplier deliverable acceptance

• Participate in stage-gate reviews (JDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FFRR, CRR) and verify transition criteria are satisfied before phase advancement

• Attend Configuration Control Board (CCB) and Change Control Review Board (CCRB) meetings to verify proper execution of configuration and change control processes

• Generate process assurance records including audit reports, review findings, compliance assessments, and milestone summary reports

• Support certification authority reviews by providing objective evidence of process adherence and responding to authority findings

• Maintain independence from development activities and escalate systemic process issues affecting certification evidence quality

Configuration Management (Optional)

• Establish and maintain configuration baselines at program stage gates (SDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FFRR, CRR)

• Administer CCB and CCRB meetings including agenda preparation, stakeholder coordination, decision documentation, and records archival

• Create and maintain System Configuration Index (SysCI) identifying all CC1 configuration items and certification evidence

• Oversee Product Data Management (PDM) system for correct configuration item release, revision control, and archive/retrieval functionality

Quality Management System Support (Secondary)

• Plan and execute internal AS9100 audits of program management, design control, supplier management, and manufacturing processes

• Track corrective actions from internal audits, customer findings, and certification authority observations through verification of effectiveness

• Support external AS9100 surveillance and recertification audits by preparing evidence and coordinating audit activities

Required Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field

• Experience: Minimum 5 years in aerospace product development, quality assurance, or certification engineering roles. Direct experience with FAA Part 23/25 or EASA CS-23/25 certification programs required.

• Technical Knowledge: Working knowledge of ARP4754B development assurance processes. Familiarity with DO-178C (software), DO-254 (hardware), and DO-160 (environmental qualification) standards.

• Process Auditing: Demonstrated ability to audit development processes against documented plans and standards. Experience generating audit findings and tracking corrective actions to closure.

• Documentation Skills: Strong technical writing skills for generating audit reports, compliance assessments, and certification evidence. Experience with configuration management and requirements management tools.

• Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills for working with cross-functional engineering teams, program management, and certification authorities. Ability to present findings diplomatically while maintaining independence.

Ideal Qualifications

• Advanced Education: Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Engineering Management

• eVTOL/UAM Experience: Direct experience with EASA SC-VTOL-01 or FAA Part 23 Amendment 64 eVTOL certification programs. Understanding of novel aircraft configurations and enhanced certification requirements.

• Safety-Critical Systems: Experience with DAL A development assurance. Background in flight control systems, actuation systems, or avionics development for manned aircraft.

• Configuration Management: Previous role as Configuration Manager on aerospace certification programs. Experience with PDM systems (Teamcenter, Windchill, or equivalent) and requirements management tools (DOORS, Polarion, Visure).

• Quality System Auditor: AS9100 Lead Auditor certification or equivalent internal auditor training. Experience conducting supplier audits and managing corrective action systems.

• Certification Authority Interaction: Direct experience presenting certification evidence to FAA or EASA. Understanding of certification basis development, means of compliance determination, and issue paper resolution.

• Small Company Experience: Background working in small aerospace companies or startups where roles require flexibility, self-direction, and wearing multiple hats. Ability to establish processes from scratch rather than following mature organizational procedures.

Key Competencies

• Technical Depth: Sufficient engineering background to understand system architecture, safety analysis methods, verification approaches, and design rationale without requiring detailed explanations

• Independence and Objectivity: Ability to provide candid assessments of process compliance without compromising relationships. Comfortable escalating issues when development shortcuts threaten certification evidence quality.

• Attention to Detail: Thorough review of documentation for completeness, traceability, and consistency. Able to identify gaps between planned activities and executed evidence.

• Regulatory Mindset: Ability to view development activities through the lens of certification authority expectations. Understanding of what constitutes acceptable substantiation evidence versus development artifacts.

• Pragmatic Problem Solving: Focus on identifying workable solutions when process deviations occur rather than simply documenting non-compliance. Ability to distinguish critical process failures from administrative oversights.

• Time Management: Capability to manage multiple concurrent audits and reviews while meeting stage-gate schedules. Prioritization skills for focusing attention on high-risk areas during resource constraints.

Work Environment

• Location: Remote position with Hummingbird Aero operating distributed teams. Systems integration laboratory located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Manufacturing facilities located in Shannon, Ireland.

• Travel: Minimal travel expected (approximately 5%) for customer meetings, supplier audits, or certification authority coordination meetings. Occasional visits to systems lab or manufacturing sites may be beneficial but not required.

• Schedule Flexibility: Core business hours with flexibility for international stakeholder meetings across multiple time zones. Surge periods around stage-gate reviews requiring temporary increase in hours.

Reporting Structure

Reports to CEO. Functional independence maintained from development organization through separate reporting chain and authority to escalate process compliance issues directly to executive management.

Hummingbird Aero is a premium solutions provider for the architecture, development, integration and certification of commercial and military aircraft safety-critical systems and components to the world’s leading aircraft platforms. Headquartered in Salt Lake City Utah, with a presence in Southern California we employ over 50 employees in several states spread out in the US and the UK/Ireland. At Hummingbird Aero we have a culture of trust and mutual respect. Hummingbird Aero has a performance culture that empowers people to achieve great things. Our people enjoy solving interesting technical challenges in a culture where everyone trusts each other to do the right thing. Working with us can mean deeper job satisfaction, better rewards, and a great quality of life inside and outside of work.