Aircraft Power Distribution Engineer (m/f/d)

Here at Volocopter, we are the pioneers of electric air taxis (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft - eVTOLs). We have pledged to bring sustainable urban air mobility to life by getting electric air taxis off the ground in a way that complements existing transportation options in megacities across the globe. In 2011 we carried out the first-ever crewed flight of a fully electric multicopter and have since conducted more than 2,000 public and private test flights across the world (www.volocopter.com).

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Power Distribution System Engineer to join our team. As a Power Distribution Engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring that the aircraft's high voltage and low voltage power distribution systems and its components meets functional, performance, certification, and safety requirements. You will play a critical role in authoring and reviewing design data, testing, inspection, and analysis documentation that enables the certification and operation of the Power Distribution System while integrated to its applicable aircraft electrical, mechanical, thermal, and logical interfaces. Your strong communication skills and technical expertise will be essential in driving the Power Distribution System design towards optimal performance and compliance.

Your mission during this flight:

• Work in close collaboration with other Power Distribution System Engineers to execute tasks pertaining the development of high voltage and low voltage power distribution components such as high voltage power centers, circuit breaker panels, low voltage emergency batteries and overhead HV and LV electrical control panels. The work packages will be distributed between team members of the Power Distribution System Engineers based on team members expertise and project demands; therefore, any team member may work on any development elements of these components and their intra and inter-system interfaces (e.g. high voltage batteries, high voltage battery management system, high voltage electric motors, Avionics display systems, etc).

• Authors and reviews internal and supplier’s design data (such as requirements specifications and design description documents), testing, inspection and analysis documentation that demonstrates compliance to the applicable system, subsystem and components requirements pertaining the Aircraft’s Power Distribution System.

• Authors and reviews internal and supplier’s Electrical and Communication Interface Control Documents applicable to the Power Distribution System development.

• Authors and/or reviews the release of Power Distribution System parts and parts assembly contained in the Aircraft Engineering Bill of Materials.

• Documents, through the applicable company processes, system-level and components compliances and non-compliances to any requirements including relevant aerospace or equivalent complex system development industry (e.g. land and naval vehicles) standards and regulations, such as SC-VTOL, ARP-4754, DO-254, DO-178 and DO-160.

• Closely collaborate with the certification engineers to ensure that the Power Distribution System design and development activities meet all necessary certification requirements.

• Reviews suppliers and partners technical documentation for compliance demonstration and dispositions non-compliances, either accepting or challenging the suppliers based on founded technical background.

• Supports safety engineers with system understanding for safety assessments including support to review failure modes presented in FMEAs, CMAs and PRAs.

• Collaborate with the test and verification team to define test plans and ensure successful validation and verification of the electrical design.

Check in your professional skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.

• Experience in aerospace’s or equivalent complex systems development industry (e.g. land and naval vehicles) electrical system components design and system integration within a complex system integration product.

• In-depth knowledge of aerospace or equivalent complex systems development industry (e.g. land and naval vehicles) standards and regulations, such as SC-VTOL, ARP-4754, DO-254, DO-178 and DO-160, and their implications to the development of the system components and its integration.

• Proficiency in requirements management tools such as Integrity, Doors, Polarion and the theoretical Systems Engineering elements that follows, such as requirements capture, rationales, validation and verification methods, registering and processing of non-compliances, etc.

• Proficiency in maintaining and updating functional breakdown assessments, either introduced or corrected by the system design while giving support to safety engineers on their SFHA.

• Ability to author and review engineering documents, such as design description documents, test plans/procedures/results, analysis and inspection reports for compliance demonstration.

• Fluent in English.

Preferred Skills:

• In-depth understanding of electrical components for aviation such as HV and LV fuses, HV and LV SSPCs, HV and LV Contactors, HV to LV DC-DC converters, Diodes, Circuit Breakers, Connectors, Studs, etc.

• Solid functional understanding of electrical magnitudes (voltage, current, power, energy) monitoring systems and methodologies for controlling electrical connection devices.

• Solid understanding of standards related to high voltage and safety regulations associated to HV components in aerospace, naval or land vehicles.

• Proficiency in using engineering tools and software for simulation, analysis, and design such as MATLAB, Python.

• Experience with advanced electrical technologies and emerging trends in the aerospace industry for high voltage and low voltage power distribution.

• Basic knowledge of communication buses and their logical integration within and outside the electrical power distribution systems.

• Understanding of system safety assessment engineering principles according to ARP-4761 or equivalent standard.

• Experience with model-based systems engineering.

Our Volocopter flight includes:

• Fast-growing high-tech company with a superb network of investors and partners
• Chance to shape the future of aviation
• Help us to create groundbreaking new projects - from scratch!
• Personal accountability, as well as growth and learning opportunities, based on your personal strengths
• An inspiring workplace with modern workspaces, flexible hours, quick decision-making, a flat hierarchy, positive leadership, great team spirit
• Attractive compensation package

Diversity at Volocopter:

Our differences are what make us great. Here at Volocopter, we value equal opportunities and trust. As air mobility industry innovators, we believe that changing the world starts on team level. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.