Senior Test Development Engineer

As a Senior Test Development Engineer at Vertical Aerospace, you will:

• Design, develop, and deliver system integration rigs for certification of aircraft hardware and systems, including propulsion systems, whole-aircraft system test assets, cockpit and avionics labs, and actuator testing facilities
• Gather test rig requirements, create rig architectures, and drive the design and delivery of equipment alongside Test Development Engineers and technology partners
• Become the main user and owner of Integration rigs once delivered, driving improvements to test equipment and software interfaces, and managing configuration of test equipment and units under test
• Work closely with Test Engineers during commissioning and operation of new test rigs, serving as a role model for the company's safety-first culture and mentoring others

This role contributes to pioneering electric aviation by developing test systems for the Valo eVTOL aircraft, which aims to set new safety standards and achieve 'zero emissions' flight, helping shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility and reduce environmental impact in aviation.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A degree in an Engineering discipline (or equivalent) and at least 4 years' experience designing automated test equipment for certification testing of aerospace systems
• Solid understanding of the aircraft development lifecycle, aircraft system architectures, and communication protocols such as CAN, ARINC 429, and serial comms
• Familiarity with designing solutions for data stimulus, acquisition, and recording; real-time test computing and data acquisition systems (e.g., National Instruments); and test tools/software like LabVIEW, NI Veristand, git workflows, bitbucket, Matlab, and Simulink
• Some knowledge of text-based programming (ideally Python), experience with Product Lifecycle Management, and ability to work in dynamic innovative teams, building positive environments and resolving challenges diplomatically

Vertical Aerospace offers comprehensive benefits including:

• 26 days holiday plus bank holidays, with 5 extra days per year to buy/sell and 5 extra days for marriage/civil partnership
• Additional 4% of salary to spend on extra benefits and an award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand)
• Company performance-based bonus, company share scheme open to every employee, and company pension scheme with 5% matching
• Daily breakfast provided, flexible and supportive work environment, and opportunities for growth and inclusion

Vertical Aerospace is pioneering electric aviation with its Valo eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing) aircraft, aiming to set new safety standards and achieve 'zero emissions' flight while redefining aerospace best practices and targeting airliner-level safety certification by 2028.