Principal Electrical Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Principal Electrical Engineer

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.

Position Overview:

Electra is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead the development, integration, and optimization of electrical power systems on Electra's flagship nine-passenger EL9 aircraft. This role will be responsible for the aircraft electrical systems - including power distribution, energy storage, conversion, and system safety protections - ensuring reliable, certifiable, and high-performance operation across the full aircraft lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions:

• Lead the design the aircraft's electrical systems, including generation, conversion, distribution, and energy storage.
• Develop and maintain aircraft power budgets, assess load cases, and perform trade studies to optimize system efficiency and reliability.
• Define and enforce system-level electrical and power interface requirements, including grounding strategies, EMI/EMC protection, and safety features.
• Collaborate closely with propulsion, avionics, flight controls, and structural teams to ensure electrical system compatibility and safe integration.
• Develop and execute test plans for electrical systems, including validation, HIL setups, bench, and lab testing.
• Evaluate and qualify suppliers, components, and subsystems, ensuring compliance standards and reliability requirements are met.
• Generate and maintain system documentation including schematics, wiring diagrams, Interface Control Document (ICD's), and certification deliverables.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to junior engineers, fostering a culture of innovation and rigor.
• Contribute to process development and continuous improvement initiatives in electrical systems engineering.
• Stay current with evolving hybrid-electric aircraft technologies, FAA regulations, safety, and certification standards.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, Electrical Engineering or other related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in aircraft electrical systems design, integration, and certification, or an equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of aircraft electrical power systems (preferably 28Vdc).
• Demonstrated ability to perform electrical load analysis, wire harness design, and system integration.
• Proficiency with electrical modeling and simulation tools.
• Familiarity with EWIS requirements, EMI/EMC testing, and environmental qualification.
• Proficiency with industry standards and processes relevant to the development of aircraft electrical systems, including DO-254 or DO-178C processes for complex hardware/software systems.
• Proficiency with electrical CAD tools (preferably Mentor Capital).
• Experience producing system-level documentation, including system description documents, design review presentations, analysis reports, test plans and reports, and certification deliverables.
• Strong collaboration skills with cross-discipline teams and experience leading technical reviews.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with a track record of influencing stakeholders.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience leading the development of electrical systems for FAA Part 23 aircraft.
• Hands-on experience with commercial certification processes (preferably FAA Part 23).
• Experience with hybrid-electric propulsion or advanced electrical architectures.
• Experience managing supplier development activities.
• Familiarity with redundant power systems, fail-safe designs, and fault detection/isolation techniques.
• Experience with requirements management tools (e.g., JAMA) and/or system modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink).
• Private pilot license a plus.

Location & Additional Information:

• Location: Headquarters in Manassas, VA. Strong preference for on-site presence to encourage close collaboration.

• Travel: Occasional travel (<10%).

• Salary: $160,000.00-200,000.00, Compensation is based on project budgets, skills, experience, education, and role level.

Compensation and Benefits

In addition to offering an exciting work environment and the opportunity to be part of the team making Ultra Short flight a reality, at Electra, we offer an unparalleled total rewards package. Electra offers employees a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, and life insurance, generous PTO and sick leave, company holidays, paid winter break, and a 401(k) plan with immediate vesting. Life at Electra includes a variety of perks, such as free catered lunches, amazing coffee, snacks, drinks, fruit, free parking, and opportunities for much more.

Working Conditions

Work is typically performed in a warehouse/aviation and office environment, which requires proper safety precautions. Work may require some physical effort in handling light materials, boxes, power tools, prototypes, and different materials or equipment. Due to the nature of our business and projects, some fieldwork may be required, working in both indoor and outdoor conditions. You may need to lift up to 50 lbs.

Background & Drug Screening

Successful completion of a background check and/or drug screening prior to starting work may be required for this position.

Commitment

We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those from marginalized or underrepresented groups in the tech industry and aerospace, to apply for our job openings. We firmly believe that a diverse range of perspectives can profoundly influence both our product and our company culture.

Electra is committed to a work environment that is inclusive to all and free of discrimination. It is our policy to be an equal opportunity employer without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic predisposition or carrier status, veteran status, citizenship status, or any other factors prohibited by law. Electra will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals.

Electra is an E-Verify employer.