Airworthiness Manager

Job Title: Airworthiness Manager Location: Dayton, OH, Huntsville, AL, Niceville, FL (On-Site) Employment Type: Full-Time Industry: Aerospace / Defense About the Role We are seeking an experienced Airworthiness Manager to lead and execute airworthiness certification activities for advanced avionics and aerospace systems.

The ideal candidate will have deep technical knowledge of MIL-HDBK-516C airworthiness criteria and a proven ability to work across engineering, program management, and regulatory organizations to ensure compliance throughout the system lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the program’s primary airworthiness authority and subject-matter expert. Interpret, apply, and validate compliance to MIL-HDBK-516C requirements across system design, integration, test, and sustainment. Develop and manage airworthiness plans, compliance matrices, and certification strategies. Coordinate with military airworthiness authorities to achieve necessary approvals and flight releases.

Lead airworthiness risk identification, mitigation planning, and technical reviews. Support system safety analyses, hazard assessments, and configuration control activities. Prepare and deliver technical documentation, briefings, and compliance evidence. Ensure continuous alignment between engineering design decisions and airworthiness criteria.

Mentor engineering teams on certification processes and documentation expectations. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred). 15-20 years of experience in airworthiness, certification, or safety engineering for military or defense aerospace programs.

Hands-on, applied experience with MIL-HDBK-516C and familiarity with relevant derivative criteria. Strong understanding of system development lifecycles, configuration management, and risk management. Experience working with DoD acquisition programs or military certification offices. Excellent communication skills with the ability to interface with customers, regulators, and cross-functional engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with aircraft modification, flight test programs, or developmental platforms. Experience with development standards such as DO-178c and DO-254. Experience with obtaining Military Standard Orders (MSO) and Technical Standard Orders (TSO). Background in USAF Military Flight Release (MFR) or Airworthiness Qualification (AWQ) processes.

Knowledge of system safety standards such as MIL-STD-882E. Security clearance (active or able to obtain).

Benefits

Competitive salary with comprehensive health and wellness benefits 401(k) retirement plan Educational and professional development opportunities Dynamic and collaborative work environment Employee ownership