Prime Air is seeking an experienced Senior Certification Engineering Leader to drive airworthiness certification strategy for the MK30 unmanned aircraft system. This role is uniquely positioned at the intersection of engineering execution and regulatory compliance - the ideal candidate approaches certification not as an administrative exercise, but as an engineering problem rooted in system design, architecture, and verification. The focus is on finding compliance within the engineering work already being done, identifying gaps early, and shaping design decisions to satisfy certification requirements efficiently.
A critical dimension of this role is international regulatory engagement. Prime Air operates across multiple countries, each with its own aviation authority, regulatory framework, and certification expectations. This leader will partner closely with regional regulatory teams to understand the nuances of each country's requirements and drive a certification strategy that enables international approvals of the drone system - not by treating each country as a separate program, but by building a compliance foundation that can be adapted and extended across jurisdictions.
Key job responsibilities
Certification Engineering Strategy
- Own the certification compliance strategy for Prime Air's unmanned aircraft systems across DO-178C (software), DO-254 (hardware), and DO-160G (environmental qualification), identifying where existing engineering work satisfies certification objectives and where targeted gaps exist
- Partner with engineering teams (software, hardware, systems, test) to influence design decisions early in the lifecycle, distinguishing real regulatory requirements from overly conservative interpretations to reduce process burden while maintaining airworthiness rigor
International Regulatory Partnerships
- Serve as the key certification partner to regional regulatory teams across all markets Prime Air operates in (EASA, CASA, DGCA, CAA, JCAB, and others), building deep working relationships and understanding each authority's unique certification processes and standards
- Drive a unified-yet-adaptable certification strategy that maximizes reuse of evidence across jurisdictions, resolves regulatory deltas between authorities, and supports bilateral validation processes (e.g., FAA-to-EASA) to reduce international approval timelines
- Proactively engage with regional teams on emerging regulations (e.g., EU U-Space, FAA BVLOS rulemaking) to ensure Prime Air's certification strategy anticipates new requirements before they become blockers
Team Leadership & Organizational Impact
- Lead a team of certification engineers, developing talent that combines engineering depth with certification expertise
- Represent Prime Air to the FAA, EASA, and international DERs/CVEs, articulating compliance arguments grounded in engineering evidence
- Develop and maintain certification plans, compliance matrices, and means of compliance documents, assessing effort and schedule impact across DO-178C, DO-254, and DO-160G
- Establish scalable certification processes that support Prime Air's pace of innovation and international expansion without compromising safety or regulatory standing
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 10+ years of planning, designing, developing and delivering consumer software experience
- Bachelor's degree
- Knowledge of professional software engineering & best practices for full software development life cycle, including coding standards, software architectures, code reviews, source control management, continuous deployments, testing, and operational excellence
- Experience in planning, designing, developing and delivering consumer software
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of managing managers experience
- Experience in managing managers
- Experience coordinating projects across organizations that span hundreds or thousands of people
- Experience in supporting critical software systems in operational environments
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Seattle - 197,900.00 - 267,800.00 USD annually
