Flight Controls Engineer

Electra Aero

$80K — $85K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or related STEM discipline.
  • 0-2 years of relevant engineering experience, including internships or co-op positions.
  • Foundational understanding of aircraft flight control systems or control theory.
  • Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink.
  • Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

  • Support engineering development of the Fly-by-Wire flight control system.
  • Assist in building simulation models and test environments.
  • Contribute to drafting subsystem and component requirements.
  • Participate in managing interfaces between flight control systems and the vehicle.
  • Support verification and validation activities through analysis and simulation.
  • Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to align on milestones.
  • Help prepare documentation for aircraft certification.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge aviation technology.
  • Hands-on experience with hybrid-electric aircraft development.
  • Collaborative work environment with multidisciplinary teams.
  • Potential for career growth in a pioneering aerospace company.
  • Involvement in dynamic and impactful projects related to regional air mobility.
Full Job Description
About Electra

At Electra, we're pioneering sustainable aviation by developing hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft designed to transform regional air mobility by making air travel more efficient, quieter, and environmentally friendly. Able to operate from soccer field-sized spaces, our Ultra Short unlocks a new era of aviation through what we call Direct Aviation - the next level of connectivity bringing air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, with additional locations in Switzerland, we're building a diverse team of global professionals passionate about redefining the future of aviation.

Job Description

Electra.aero, a next-gen aerospace technology company, seeks a motivated and capable Flight Controls Engineer. In this role, you will support the development of the Fly-by-Wire (FBW) flight control system on our hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft and additional projects. This position offers a hands-on opportunity to contribute directly to a cutting-edge aircraft development program while working closely with senior engineers and multidisciplinary teams. This position will be based in Manassas, Virginia.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions
  • Support the engineering development of the FBW flight control system, including system architecture, hardware integration, software implementation, and control law development.
  • Assist in building simulation models and test environments for control algorithm development and verification.
  • Contribute to drafting and refining subsystem and component requirements to meet safety, performance, and program objectives.
  • Participate in managing functional and physical interfaces between the flight control system and the vehicle.
  • Support verification and validation activities, including analysis, simulation, and bench testing.
  • Collaborate with suppliers, partners, and internal engineering teams to maintain alignment across program milestones.
  • Help prepare documentation and processes in support of aircraft certification activities.
  • Other duties as assigned.


Required Education and Experience
  • B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or related STEM discipline.
  • 0-2 years of relevant engineering experience (internships, co-ops, or project team experience acceptable).

Required Skills
  • Foundational understanding of aircraft flight control systems or control theory.
  • Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced development environment.
  • Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.
  • Demonstrated initiative and willingness to learn complex systems.


Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with flight controls, avionics, or aircraft systems through internships, academic projects, or research.
  • Hands-on experience developing simulation or test environments (SIL/HIL) is a plus.
  • Exposure to safety-critical system development or model-based design.
  • Familiarity with Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) or relevant industry standards.
  • US Person (Citizen or Green Card) preferred.
  • Pilot experience or interest in aviation is a plus.


Travel:

Salary

Electra's salary range for this position is: $80,000.00-$85,000.00 (Recommend filling in based on internal junior-level salary bands.)

Our salary ranges reflect the minimum and maximum range for the Company level overall across all locations & projects and do not necessarily reflect the budgeted amount for this position. Individual pay is based on additional factors, including project budgets, job-related skills, experience, relevant education and/or training, role, level, location, and project.

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