0181 - Product Operations Engineer

About Electra: 

Electra’s next gen mission is to develop Ultra Short aircraft built for Direct Aviation. We are redefining the next level of connectivity by pioneering Direct Aviation – without airports, emissions, or noise. Electra’s Ultra Short aircraft will revolutionize air travel by bringing it closer to where we live, work, and play, making new connections possible. This makes a new venture like Electra exciting and fast-paced. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, we're on a quest to build a team of insanely talented people who want to do meaningful work.

Position Overview 

Electra.aero, a next-gen aerospace technology company, seeks a dynamic Product Operations Engineer. This role will support Electra’s business development, product, and engineering teams to define Electra’s nine-passenger Ultra Short aircraft. You will be responsible for analyzing the operational aspects of the product, and your work will be key to the overall business success of the company. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Part 135 airline operations, aircraft design, operation and maintenance, the air transportation industry, and data analytics. As an early-stage startup company, this position requires a versatile person who is not afraid to work hard, move fast, and jump in to fill any need that arises across the company. As the company will evolve and grow with time, so will this job. This position is in Manassas, VA.

We are seeking a candidate with the following key experience and skills: 

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions:

• Customer Operations Interface: Act as the face of the EL-9 team to the operational organizations of potential airline customers. Collect customer feedback, conduct market research and competitive assessment, develop EL-9 requirements and performance metrics, and synthesize insights into digestible and actionable products for internal engineering, leadership, and investor customers. The ideal candidate will have prior experience operating a P121 or P135 airline. 

• Aircraft Operations Planning: Develop and maintain concepts of operations for the EL-9 in different use cases. Identify flight routing, airspace integration, and airport access for potential missions. Conduct travel time, fuel burn, and aircraft performance studies for the EL-9 and alternative aircraft. Develop models of fleet scheduling and management. Support development of maintenance programs, operational specifications, and other operator artifacts.

• Product Engineering: Act as the voice of the customer to engineering to reflect the elicited customer requirements and operating processes. Support the development of operational cost models, maintenance models, and the aircraft bill of materials.

• Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams: Work closely across Electra’s engineering and business development teams to gather information, update product models, and infuse information back into these teams.

• Support Conceptual Design: Synthesize market insights to provide critical input and guidance during the conceptual design phase to influence design decisions with quantitative analysis and advocacy.

• Report Results and Recommendations: Prepare and present detailed reports, visualizations, and recommendations to project stakeholders, including leadership teams and external partners. 

• Other duties as assigned. 
   

Required Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, operations research, or a related field

• 2+ years of experience in relevant discipline areas or an equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience. 

Required Skills: 

• Pilot’s license and/or previous aviation experience. The ideal candidate would have Part 135 or Part 121 operational experience.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for effective collaboration with internal teams, customers, and external partners 

• Proficient in Python or similar programming language 

• Excellent multitasking and problem-solving abilities 

• Exceptional time-management skills 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Master’s or PhD degree in business or engineering discipline desired 

• Prior experience working on unconventional configurations (e.g., blended wing bodies, VTOL, or supersonic aircraft) 

• Experience with the aircraft development process and familiarity with aircraft systems. 

• Knowledge of FAA/EASA certification requirements, as applicable to novel aircraft designs 

• US Person (Citizen or Green Card) Preferred 

Location: 

• Headquarters in Manassas, VA. 

Salary:
Electra's salary range for this position is: $64,515.00-$176,715.00
Budget Benchmark for this position is $80,000.00-$110,000.00
Our salary ranges reflect the minimum and maximum range for the Company level overall across all locations & projects and does 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.