Structural Certification & Test Plan Team Lead

Structural Certification & Test Team lead is a key mid-to-senior engineering leadership role responsible for proving the structural integrity, safety, and airworthiness of SkyDrive’s eVTOL aircraft. 

Your team’s mission is to ensure that our ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber airframe, rotor structures, and integrated battery/powertrain mounts meet all civil airworthiness strength, fatigue, crashworthiness, and regulatory compliance requirements. You will bridge the gap between structural modeling, physical testing, and formal Type Certification (TC) approval with civil aviation authorities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Structural Stress Analysis Oversight

• Direct and review global and detailed stress analysis across metallic and composite (CFRP) airframe structures using both Finite Element Methods (GFEM/DFEM) and classical hand calculations.
• Oversee static, fatigue, damage tolerance, dynamic crashworthiness, and bird-strike analyses for primary structures, rotor systems, and battery mounts.
• Hold technical sign-off authority for internal Margin of Safety (MoS) reviews, structural substantiation documents, and Material Review Board (MRB) / Non-Conformance (NCR) dispositions.

2. Type Certification (TC) & Airworthiness Compliance

• Drive the structural certification roadmap in close coordination with SkyDrive’s central Certification Department.
• Lead the creation, review, and formal submission of structural compliance summary reports, structural substantiation dossiers, and Means of Compliance (MoC) under civil airworthiness regulations (JCAB, FAA, and EASA -e.g., SC-VTOL, Part 23/27/29 equivalents).
• Interface directly with aviation authority auditors and designated engineering representatives regarding structural strength, fatigue, and flutter compliance.

3. Structural Testing & Test-Analysis Correlation

• Oversee the complete structural test execution strategy following the aerospace "Building-Block Approach" (coupon, element, sub-component, and full-scale airframe levels).
• Direct the preparation of test proposals, test procedures, instrumentation requirements (strain gauges, load cells), and post-test summary reports.
• Lead the correlation efforts between physical test data and analytical FE models to validate structural safety factors and refine analysis methodologies.

4. Cross-Functional Coordination

• Partner closely with the Structure Design Team to drive weight reduction and trade studies without compromising structural margins or manufacturing feasibility.
• Collaborate with the Materials & Processes (M&P) team to integrate material allowable, environmental knock-down factors, and BVID (Barely Visible Impact Damage) criteria into stress predictions.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, Structural, or Mechanical Engineering.
• 8-12+ Years of Aerospace Experience: Deep expertise in structural analysis, structural testing, and airworthiness certification within an aircraft OEM, rotary-wing OEM, or Tier-1 aerospace supplier.
• 3+ Years of Technical Leadership / Management: Proven experience managing engineers, conducting performance reviews, and driving team deliverables under tight program schedules.
• Civil Certification Track Record: Direct experience preparing structural substantiation documentation and demonstrating compliance for a civil aircraft Type Certification (TC) or major supplemental certification project (JCAB, FAA, or EASA).
• Advanced Stress Analysis Mastery: Hands-on mastery of classical aerospace hand calculations and industry-standard FEA software (e.g., NASTRAN/PATRAN, Abaqus, ANSYS, HyperMesh).
• Composite Mechanics Expertise: Extensive experience evaluating composite structures (CFRP, sandwich panels, bonded joints, lug/fastener analysis) and dynamic fatigue/damage tolerance.
• Structural Testing Execution: Practical experience overseeing static, drop/crash, or fatigue testing of aircraft components.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with eVTOL, helicopter, or light aircraft airframe structural substantiation.
• Proficiency with CATIA V5/Siemens NX (for geometry review and load extraction) and PLM systems (Teamcenter/ENOVIA).

Type of Employment

• Permanent Employee or Contract Employee
• Probationary period: 3~6 month

Place of Employment

• Nagoya Airport Office: Nagoya Airport Terminal Building 2nd floor, Toyoba, Toyoyama-Cho, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture
  • There may be domestic and international business trips required due to test-related tasks and other responsibilities.
• Scope of Change: Places determined by the Company (including places where telework is performed)

Working Hours

• Flextime or Discretionary labor system
• Basic working hours: Start 9:00 End 18:00（Including 1hour break time）

Holidays

• 115 days off per year Saturday / Sundays / New year holidays（12/29～1/3） / Company designated holidays）
• Annual paid leave
• Refresh leave (Granted after 1, 3, 4, 5 years of service)

Salary

• Estimated Annual Salary: JPY 6,850,000- JPY 13,000,000 
• Monthly Salary: JPY 571,000 - JPY 1,084,000
  • Includes fixed overtime pay for 45 hours, amounting to JPY 197,680 - JPY  375,239

    *Additional overtime pay will be provided for hours exceeding the fixed overtime.

• To be determined based on skills, experience, and abilities

Expenses

• Commuting allowance, business trip allowance, moving allowance, etc.
• Relocation Packages

  *There are some conditions.

Social Insurance

• Health insurance
• Employee pension (according to Japan standards)
• Employment insurance
• Worker’s accident compensation insurance

Scope of Work Change

• Reassignment may occur to any other work.