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Chief Engineer (Aircraft Interiors)

Job details

General information

Entity

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.

Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.

Safran Cabin designs, certifies, manufactures and supports innovative aircraft cabin interiors, equipment and systems, providing airlines and OEM Customers with distinctive aircraft branding, and their passengers with a safe, comfortable and enjoyable flying experience.

Reference number

2026-169854

Job details

Domain

Research, design and development

Job field / Job profile

Architecture and systems engineering - System architecture

Job title

Chief Engineer (Aircraft Interiors)

Employment type

Permanent

Professional category

Professional, Engineer & Manager

Part time / Full time

Full-time

Job description

Local candidates only, must be within an hour commute. Hybrid work schedule.

Here, we craft excellence together. Your mission? Making the journey the most enjoyable part of the trip.

Join our first-class team to reinvent in-flight experience. In the role of Chief Engineer you'll play a pivotal part on our Research, Design & Development team.

a) Support Development Programs and In-Service/Sustaining Programs:

• Advise on new product/feature/design concepts and designs (risk analyses, definition of criteria to pass milestone, review of development logic, expert reviews on proposed designs, etc.).

• Validate design decisions and relevance of the justifications provided.

• Establish product commonality and standard technical solutions across programs.

• Contribute to the resolution of technical issues (current and upcoming), and in-service issues.

• Mitigate program risks through regular technical reviews.

• Be a technical resource for all departments, (Marketing, Contracts, Project Engineering etc.), offering specialist knowledge and guidance as required specific to a particular commodity.

• Develop, author, and maintain product specifications and ensure requirements are kept up-to-date.

• Develop, author, and maintain a catalog of design principles and standard parts and components.

• Act as mediator/liaison during development engineering within engineering/between engineering and customer/supplier to prevent and/or solve any engineering issues that may arise.

• Perform the role of tie breaker/final decision maker for technical decisions.

• Review and approve technical documents.

b) Innovation, Research and Preparation of Future Technologies, Methods & Tools:

• Review R&T activities and validate their achievements.

• Define expectations for achievement of Technology Maturity Levels.

• Ensure there is a scientific, technology, and innovation watch related to the division for technological advancements, market trends, competition, related fields etc.

• Strive to maintain at the state-of-the-art regarding relevant methods and tools.

• Generate original and innovative design concepts and solutions when faced with design problems.

• Develop, author, and maintain templates for key component level specifications.

c) Develop and Capitalize on Knowledge:

• Mentor coach and train less experienced engineers of their respective division in their fields of expertise.

• Develop training materials.

• Contribute to development and population of knowledge management database.

• Validate knowledge (e.g., lessons learned) and support their distribution and implementation.

• Organize seminars, workshops, etc. to share knowledge.

• Develop, author, and maintain development manuals, design guides, and training materials for their division commodities.

d) Proposal and Bid Process:

• Work with Marketing and Contracts departments to review and recommend technical solutions at the bid/RFQ/RFI stages.

But what else? (advantages, specificities, etc.)

The Chief Engineer is a technical expert for their aircraft interior commodity / commodities. He/she has in-depth knowledge of all aspects of their product: design, manufacture, material, process, certification/qualification, tooling, quality, and the environment in which it is installed.

The Chief Engineer is a technical resource that assures excellence in all aspects of the product's lifecycle, from marketing and the proposal stage, through contract negotiation and award, and throughout development engineering. He/she participates in design reviews, assesses tool design, M&P, and qualification/certification data, and continues supporting through FAI, first install, entry-into-service, and operational maturity.

The Chief Engineer's principle function is to promote Engineering excellence that will lead to the design of a best-in-class aircraft interior product. He/she provides a platform for learning, mentoring, and the development of less experienced engineers. The Chief Engineer owns the creation, development, and maintenance of the division's product related design standards. The Chief Engineer will participate on internal and external design and milestone reviews and secure established standard design principles are applied across all programs.

Candidate skills & requirements

Education: Must have bachelor's degree in engineering/science (MS preferred), Aeronautical or Mechanical Engineering preferred.

Experience: 15+ years engineering; Inclusive of all characteristics of Principal Design Engineer. Must have demonstrated leadership qualities to understand and influence team members. Aerospace industry experience is highly desired.

Computer Skill: MS Office Suite, MS Windows. AutoCAD, CATIA V5, SmarTeam are preferred. Proven ability to be self-motivated with core disciplines of design for: cost, weight, manufacturability, qualification and quality.

This job posting has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by an employee within this position. The actual duties, responsibilities and qualifications may vary based on assignment or group.

Annual salary

$136K - $214K USD + bonus

Job location

Job location

North America, United States, California

City (-ies)

1620 Sunflower Avenue CA 92626 Costa Mesa

Applicant criteria

Minimum education level achieved

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum experience level required

More than 8 years

Additional Languages preferred

English (Fluent)

ITAR Controlled Position: Select "Yes" if role requires U.S. citizenship/permanent residency

No