Senior Structural Assembly Manufacturing Engineer

The posting, as Electra Aero wrote it

About Electra

Air travel is about to become something more: more direct, more accessible, and more connected to the places where people live, work and want to be. Every day in the U.S., people make 35 million trips of 50–500 miles, stuck in traffic or routed through crowded hubs. Chances are, you've been one of them. At Electra, we're changing that with the EL9, a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in just 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology opens up thousands of new places to fly, beyond conventional runways, congested airports and long drives. We're backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Safran. Operators worldwide have signed intent-to-purchase agreements for the first 2,200 aircraft we produce, and we're moving toward first test flights in 2027.

Getting a new kind of aircraft airborne takes more than ambition. It takes our kind of bold: people who think big while working in the real world. Who move ideas into action and collaborate without silos. Who put people first and make room at the table for everyone. Who challenge one another without diminishing one another.

Sound like you? Then look beyond what you thought were your own limits, and help us take flight beyond runways.

The Role

As Electra's Senior Structural Assembly Manufacturing Engineer, you'll play a key role in developing and industrializing the structural assembly processes for the EL9 aircraft, working from early product development through prototype build, production implementation, and ramp-up.

You'll work closely with Product Engineering during aircraft development to ensure structural designs incorporate Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) principles and can be efficiently, repeatably, and reliably produced. You'll bring a hands-on manufacturing perspective to structural design decisions, evaluating assembly sequence, tolerance management, access, tooling, fastening and joining methods, inspection requirements, producibility, and production risk.

As the EL9 transitions from design into physical hardware, you'll help translate released engineering into executable manufacturing processes and support prototype and initial aircraft builds. You'll work closely with airframe manufacturing suppliers, providing on-site Manufacturing Engineering oversight and liaison support as needed to ensure proper information flow, resolve technical and quality issues, support the incorporation of product changes and support supply chain on contract management.

This is an opportunity to influence both how the aircraft is designed and how it is ultimately built, while helping establish Electra's structural assembly manufacturing supply chain capability from the ground up.

What You'll Do

• Partner with Product Engineering throughout aircraft development to ensure structural designs incorporate Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) principles and support efficient, repeatable, and scalable production.
• Review aircraft structural desig

[…]
to make sound engineering recommendations in a fast-moving aircraft development environment.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across internal teams and external suppliers.
• Ability and willingness to travel to supplier and manufacturing locations as required by program needs.

Bonus Points

• Experience with clean-sheet aircraft development and transition from prototype into production.
• Experience with major structural assemblies such as fuselage, wing, empennage, control surfaces, or other primary airframe structures.
• Experience with aircraft assembly tooling, jigs, fixtures, determinant assembly, or advanced assembly methodologies.
• Experience with digital manufacturing tools, PLM/MES environments, manufacturing BOMs, and 3D model-based manufacturing.
• Experience with supplier industrialization, production readiness assessments, or manufacturing capability reviews.
• Experience with MRB, root cause corrective action, and production nonconformance resolution.
• Experience with AS9100 aerospace quality management systems.

This range reflects the anticipated hiring range across all eligible locations; actual compensation is determined based on your relevant experience, skills, and geographic location. Total compensation includes performance bonus and comprehensive benefits.

Compensation Range
$130,000 — $155,000 USD

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• Generous PTO, sick leave, and company holidays
• Paid winter break
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Free catered lunches, coffee, snacks, and drinks at our Manassas headquarters
• Free on-site parking

Electra is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position may be subject to ITAR requirements.