Staff Engineer, Systems Engineering

What we do:The Staff Engineer, Systems Engineering serves as Supernal's Systems Engineering technical authority in Irvine location, ensuring that engineering execution, system architecture, requirements, and certification activities remain aligned with FAA-recognized development standards and Supernal's Part 21 Applicant obligations throughout the aircraft development lifecycle. This position requires an experienced professional with expertise in requirements definition and management across the whole aircraft, plus performance measurement within a product development environment.This role oversees system-level consistency across sizing, architecture, configuration control, and verification activities, while maintaining disciplined alignment with ARP4754A/ARP4761A processes and certification readiness milestones. Acting as the systems engineering focal point, the position ensures that cross-functional technical decisions support vehicle-level performance, safety, and compliance objectives. In addition, the role supports Supernal's readiness to assume FAA Part 21 Applicant responsibilities by reviewing major design milestones, identifying integration and certification risks, and ensuring technical outputs are appropriately integrated into Supernal's engineering governance framework to preserve technical continuity. The position works closely with different engineering functions and liaises closely with the Strategy Team to ensure requirements meet the needs of the customer and business.What you can do:

Review and assess engineering processes and technical governance to ensure alignment with FAA-recognized development standards, including ARP4754A, ARP4761A, DO-178C, and DO-254, across all program phasesIdentify gaps between engineering processes and FAA-compliant systems frameworks, and define process enhancements required for certification readiness at major milestonesLead the structured transfer and internalization of engineering systems, compliance methodologies, and certification governance to maintain Applicant-level configuration and compliance controlReview system architectures, system-level designs, and major technical decisions from a vehicle integration, safety, and certification perspective across all development phasesEnsure consistency of sizing assumptions, margin strategies, performance allocations, safety budgets, and architectural trade-offs at the vehicle levelEvaluate trade studies, configuration changes, and interface definitions for alignment with vehicle performance, safety targets, certification basis, and Means of ComplianceMonitor cross-functional interfaces (powertrain, flight controls, structures, avionics, etc.) to prevent architectural inconsistencies and maintain configuration coherenceProvide Supernal technical review positions and concurrence at major design milestones (SRR, PDR, TRR) and Configuration Control Boards for design baselines and significant changesIdentify vehicle-level integration, safety, compliance, and certification risks from technical activities and require mitigation within delegated authorityEnsure technical outputs-including requirements, verification artifacts, compliance data, and configuration records-remain aligned with Supernal's FAA Part 21 Applicant obligations and certification strategyEscalate material technical deviations or certification risks to Supernal leadership when exceeding delegated authority or impacting Applicant obligations

What you can contribute:

Bachelor's degree in aerospace, electrical, mechanical engineering, or related field is required; advanced degree preferredMinimum of ten (10) years of experience in aircraft systems engineering, integrationStrong knowledge of SAE ARP4754A and ARP4761Working knowledge of DO-178C and DO-254 in certified aircraft programsSolid understanding of FAA certification frameworks, including 14 CFR Part 21Experience supporting certification programs and engaging with regulatory authoritiesExperience with requirements management and configuration control tools (e.g., DOORS)Familiarity with MBSE methodologies and modeling tools (e.g., Cameo, SysML)Aircraft safety experience preferredAbility to assess and improve engineering processes to ensure certification alignmentStrong system-level integration and architecture review capabilityAbility to ensure vehicle-level design consistency across sizing, performance allocationCapability to evaluate trade studies and configuration changes from a compliance perspectiveAbility to manage cross-functional technical interfaces across multiple engineering domainsStrong risk identification and structured mitigation planning skillsDemonstrated ability to represent technical positions within engineering governance and key milestone / change reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, CDR TRR, CCB)