Flight Controls Engineer

About Electra

At Electra, we're pioneering sustainable aviation by developing hybrid-electric Ultra Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft designed to transform regional air mobility by making air travel more efficient, quieter, and environmentally friendly. Able to operate from soccer field-sized spaces, our Ultra Short unlocks a new era of aviation through what we call Direct Aviation - the next level of connectivity bringing air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, with additional locations in Switzerland, we're building a diverse team of global professionals passionate about redefining the future of aviation.

Job Description

Electra.aero, a next-gen aerospace technology company, seeks a motivated and capable Flight Controls Engineer. In this role, you will support the development of the Fly-by-Wire (FBW) flight control system on our hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft and additional projects. This position offers a hands-on opportunity to contribute directly to a cutting-edge aircraft development program while working closely with senior engineers and multidisciplinary teams. This position will be based in Manassas, Virginia.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

• Support the engineering development of the FBW flight control system, including system architecture, hardware integration, software implementation, and control law development.
• Assist in building simulation models and test environments for control algorithm development and verification.
• Contribute to drafting and refining subsystem and component requirements to meet safety, performance, and program objectives.
• Participate in managing functional and physical interfaces between the flight control system and the vehicle.
• Support verification and validation activities, including analysis, simulation, and bench testing.
• Collaborate with suppliers, partners, and internal engineering teams to maintain alignment across program milestones.
• Help prepare documentation and processes in support of aircraft certification activities.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Required Education And Experience

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or related STEM discipline.
• 0-2 years of relevant engineering experience (internships, co-ops, or project team experience acceptable).
  
  

Required Skills

• Foundational understanding of aircraft flight control systems or control theory.
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced development environment.
• Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated initiative and willingness to learn complex systems.
  
  

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with flight controls, avionics, or aircraft systems through internships, academic projects, or research.
• Hands-on experience developing simulation or test environments (SIL/HIL) is a plus.
• Exposure to safety-critical system development or model-based design.
• Familiarity with Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) or relevant industry standards.
• US Person (Citizen or Green Card) preferred.
• Pilot experience or interest in aviation is a plus.
  
  

Travel

Salary

Electra's salary range for this position is: $80,000.00-$85,000.00 (Recommend filling in based on internal junior-level salary bands.)

Our salary ranges reflect the minimum and maximum range for the Company level overall across all locations & projects and do not necessarily reflect the budgeted amount for this position. Individual pay is based on additional factors, including project budgets, job-related skills, experience, relevant education and/or training, role, level, location, and project.