Systems Engineer | Flight Controls

Industry: Electric Aviation / Advanced Air MobilityLocation: Vermont / North Carolina / MontrealAbout:This role sits within a clean-sheet electric aircraft development programme focused on certifying next-generation flight systems across both fixed-wing and advanced air mobility platforms.The organisation is developing fully integrated, safety-critical architectures spanning flight controls, avionics, propulsion, and energy systems. A core focus of the programme is the development of a digital fly-by-wire flight control system, designed to meet certification requirements across multiple aircraft categories.This is a multidisciplinary systems engineering environment, where flight controls sit at the intersection of flight sciences, control laws, hardware/software, and certification. The work involves full lifecycle ownership, from early architecture definition through to integration, validation, flight testing, and regulatory approval.Responsibilities:Contribute to the development of digital fly-by-wire flight control systems across fixed-wing and advanced air mobility aircraft programmesSupport system architecture definition, requirements development, and interface management for safety-critical flight control systemsPerform trade studies and participate in design reviews to guide system-level decisionsDevelop, manage, and validate system requirements, ensuring full traceability across the product lifecycleSupport system integration activities across lab, ground, and flight test environmentsDefine and execute verification and validation activities, including test case development, procedure execution, and issue resolutionWork hands-on with system integration environments including ironbird and other system-level test rigsCollaborate closely with internal engineering teams across flight sciences, control laws, hardware, software, safety, and certificationEngage with external suppliers and regulatory bodies to support system development and certification effortsContribute to certification documentation and support compliance activities for flight control systemsRequired Experience & Skills:Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or related technical disciplineExperience working on safety-critical systems within aerospace, automotive, or similarly regulated industriesStrong understanding of systems engineering principles, including requirements development, validation, and traceabilityExperience supporting system integration and testing activities across development environmentsFamiliarity with product lifecycle management tools such as DOORS, Polarion, or equivalentUnderstanding of system safety concepts including failure modes and effects analysisStrong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across multidisciplinary engineering teamsExperience using common engineering and collaboration tools such as JIRA, Confluence, and similar platformsDesirable / Additional Qualifications:Experience developing or supporting flight control systems within aerospace applicationsKnowledge of digital fly-by-wire systems, control laws, or related control system architecturesExposure to flight sciences, aircraft stability and control, or handling qualities analysisExperience with system-level testing including ironbird, lab, ground, or flight test environmentsFamiliarity with FAA certification processes and relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g. Part 23, Special Class)Understanding of industry standards such as DO-178, DO-254, DO-160, ARP4754A, and ARP4761Experience with modelling, simulation, or analysis tools such as MATLAB, Simulink, or PythonKnowledge of avionics communication protocols such as CAN, ARINC429, or similarBackground in human factors, pilot interface design, or crew systems integrationExposure to configuration management and development tools such as Git, CATIA, or similar systemsPersonal flying experience or familiarity with pilot operations and flight environmentsDrive the development and certification of next-generation flight control systems shaping the future of electric aviation. Send your resume to e.walker@apera.co.