About Electra
Air travel is about to become something more: more direct, more accessible, and more connected to the places where people live, work and want to be. Every day in the U.S., people make 35 million trips of 50–500 miles, stuck in traffic or routed through crowded hubs. Chances are, you've been one of them. At Electra, we're changing that with the EL9, a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in just 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology opens up thousands of new places to fly, beyond conventional runways, congested airports and long drives. We're backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Safran. Operators worldwide have signed intent-to-purchase agreements for the first 2,200 aircraft we produce, and we're moving toward first test flights in 2027.
Getting a new kind of aircraft airborne takes more than ambition. It takes our kind of bold: people who think big while working in the real world. Who move ideas into action and collaborate without silos. Who put people first and make room at the table for everyone. Who challenge one another without diminishing one another.
Sound like you? Then look beyond what you thought were your own limits, and help us take flight beyond runways.
The Role
As a Senior / Principal Engineer – Electric Engine Lead, you will serve as the technical authority for development of the electric engine(s) on the EL9 Ultra Short Aircraft.
You will refine requirements, guide supplier development, serve as approval authority on supplier design reviews, develop and define interfaces internally and externally and ensure delivered hardware meets Electra's performance, safety, and certification standards. You will play a critical role in ensuring electric propulsion systems are fully integrated, validated, and compliant within a highly coupled hybrid-electric aircraft architecture.
This is a highly cross-functional and externally facing role, requiring strong technical judgment, supplier engagement, and systems thinking.
What You'll Do
Serve as the technical owner for electric engine development, including supplier-developed hardware, across the full lifecycle from requirements through certification
Refine electric engine requirements, interfaces, and acceptance criteria, and ensure alignment with aircraft-level performance, safety, and integration needs
Provide technical oversight of suppliers, including design reviews, analysis/test evaluation, and issue resolution to ensure compliant, high-quality deliverables
Lead integration of the electric engine with the propeller, electrical systems, and airframe, ensuring proper functionality, reliability, and maintainability
Support certification activities by authoring specifications, test plans, compliance artifacts, contributing to safety assessments, and ensuring supplier deliverables meet regulatory expectations
Collaborate cross-functionally and support system- and aircraft-level verification, including ground and flight testing
What You'll Bring
Bachelor's degree and 8+ years (Senior) or 10+ years (Principal) of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Strong understanding of electric propulsion systems (motors, inverters/power electronics, cooling) and their application in aircraft or similar systems
Experience integrating complex subsystems into a larger platform, including interface definition and system-level considerations
Familiarity with systems engineering practices, including requirements development, validation, and traceability per SAE ARP4754
Knowledge of certification processes (FAA Part 23/25 or equivalent) and safety-critical development practices (FHA, FMEA, FTA) per SAE ARP4761
Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to work effectively across internal teams and external partners
Experience managing suppliers to meet deliverables on-time with high quality in the face of multiple risks
Bonus Points
Experience overseeing suppliers in the development of…