Structural Certification & Test Engineer
Lead structural testing and certification for eVTOL aircraft, validating airframe strength and durability through physical testing and compliance with aviation authorities (JCAB, FAA, EASA). The role involves authoring test plans, supervising execution, and performing test-analysis correlation using FEA tools like NASTRAN/PATRAN and Abaqus.
- Compensation
- ¥6.9M–¥10.3M / yr
- Location
- Aichi
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Contract
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Category
- Qa
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Structural Engineering, or related
- 5+ years of experience in aerospace structural stress analysis and physical structural testing
- Understanding of civil aircraft certification processes (JCAB, FAA Part 23/25/27/29, or EASA SC-VTOL)
- Proficiency in classical hand calculations (Bruhn, Niu)
- Proficiency in FEA tools (NASTRAN/PATRAN, Abaqus, HyperMesh)
- Proficiency in data acquisition/analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB, LabVIEW)
- Hands-on experience with advanced carbon-fiber composite materials (CFRP) and aircraft metallic structures
- Professional working proficiency in English
Nice to have
- Experience with full-scale airframe structural test rigs or complex rotor/motor mount structural testing
- Knowledge of composite laminate allowables generation, environmental knockdown testing, and BVID testing
- Experience authoring compliance documents for JCAB, FAA, or EASA type certification programs
- Conversational or business-level Japanese language skills
Full description
Company Overview
At SkyDrive, we are leading a once-in-a-century revolution in mobility by developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Our mission is to make the sky a daily transportation route, bringing safe, sustainable, and quiet urban air mobility to reality. We are looking for an experienced Structural Stress Test & Certification Engineer to join our Structure Group in Nagoya to lead structural testing execution and compliance showing as we advance through critical certification milestones.
Role Overview
As a Structural Stress Test & Certification Engineer, you will be responsible for validating the structural strength, durability, and safety of our eVTOL airframe (composites and metallics) through physical testing and civil aviation compliance showing. You will work closely with structural design, stress analysis, materials & processes (M&P), and civil aviation authorities (JCAB, FAA, EASA) to execute the aerospace Building-Block Approach—from coupon and element testing up to full-scale airframe static and fatigue test rigs.
Key Responsibilities
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Test Plan & Specification Drafting: Author comprehensive structural test plans, test procedures, and test specifications for static, fatigue, damage tolerance, and dynamic/drop testing of primary composite and metallic airframe components.
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Test Execution & Supervision: Design test interfaces and ground support equipment, coordinate rig setups, instrument test articles (strain gauges, DIC, displacement sensors), and supervise physical test execution.
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Test-Analysis Correlation: Analyze test data, perform test-analysis correlation against GFEM/DFEM finite element models and hand calculations, and evaluate Margin of Safety (MoS) under test load conditions.
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Certification & Compliance Showing: Author structural compliance reports, test summary reports, and substantiation dossiers to demonstrate compliance with JCAB, EASA SC-VTOL, and FAA airworthiness requirements.
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Disposition & NCR Support: Provide engineering dispositions for non-conformances (NCRs) and test anomalies, conducting root-cause analysis and implementing engineering change solutions.
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Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate across Structural Design, M&P, Manufacturing, and Quality teams to ensure physical test results feed directly back into baseline structural releases.
Minimum Qualifications
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Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Structural Engineering, or a related discipline.