Design and Certification Specialist - Panel 1 and/or Panel 2 Pilot
Civil Aviation Authority
Horley, UK
Published today
Flight crew
Permanent
Design and Certification Specialist - Panel 1 and/or Panel 2 Pilot
Salary: Up to £32,500 (FTE Upto £65,000 ) Plus a Market Related Supplement
Contract Type: Part Time Permanent (0.5FTE) Work pattern to be determined
Location: Gatwick / Hybrid
Security Level:SC
Visa Restrictions: This position does not currently offer visa sponsorship.
For details on the Market Related Supplement: please contact anita.dennington@caa.co.uk
We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.
The Role
The CAA is expanding its team of design and certification specialists that drive the diverse certification and design activities associated with commercial air transport, general aviation, unmanned air vehicles, space flight and innovation in the UK. The CAA is looking for pilots to become Design & Certification specialists to cover Panel 1 Flight and Human Factors and/or Panel 2 Operational Suitability Data-Flight Crew disciplines, to be responsible for supporting the overall Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) capability business plan and supporting the wider CAA team, specifically in establishing and delivering the UK's ICAO State of Design responsibilities.
Reporting to the Design & Certification Managers and Design & Certification Principal Specialists, you will be accountable for the in-flight independent evaluation as part of the overall technical investigation/analysis and approval of certification projects and the continued airworthiness of aircraft, systems, engines and propellers, across all civil aerospace domains including commercial air transport, general aviation, unmanned air vehicles, space flight and innovation projects.
A varied role, that will include significant interaction with industry representatives remotely and in person, involve the review and approval of new parts and products and their design changes, validation of other nations' certifying authorities' work as well as the investigation of the UK Design Organisations' design approvals. Industry and regulatory engagement will be required to ensure that the CAA keeps appraised of future projects, the proposed introduction and development of new and innovative technologies and any proposed regulatory changes.
You will also be expected to work to the CAA's internal policies and procedures in their day-to-day role. Oversight of organisations will be conducted in accordance with the CAA's Performance Based Oversight business rules, applying proportionality based on the organisation's complexity, risk and performance.
Design and Certification Accountabilities
You would need to be able to hold a valid passport that allows international travel without restrictions. Also, either role will require ability to support time away from home on domestic and international travel to support allocated projects.
Panel 1 Flight and Human Factors Design and Certification Specialists must have:
Relocation & Property: The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years' time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational, and environmental considerations. We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers. We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site, and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028
Inclusive Recruitment: We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.
Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates in the CAA recruitment process: We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.
Working With Us: We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.
We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance. We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!
Our Values: Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone - For more information please Click Here
Closing Date: 06May 2026
Interview Date: TBC
The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
No recruitment agencies please.
Salary: Up to £32,500 (FTE Upto £65,000 ) Plus a Market Related Supplement
Contract Type: Part Time Permanent (0.5FTE) Work pattern to be determined
Location: Gatwick / Hybrid
Security Level:SC
Visa Restrictions: This position does not currently offer visa sponsorship.
For details on the Market Related Supplement: please contact anita.dennington@caa.co.uk
We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.
The Role
The CAA is expanding its team of design and certification specialists that drive the diverse certification and design activities associated with commercial air transport, general aviation, unmanned air vehicles, space flight and innovation in the UK. The CAA is looking for pilots to become Design & Certification specialists to cover Panel 1 Flight and Human Factors and/or Panel 2 Operational Suitability Data-Flight Crew disciplines, to be responsible for supporting the overall Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) capability business plan and supporting the wider CAA team, specifically in establishing and delivering the UK's ICAO State of Design responsibilities.
Reporting to the Design & Certification Managers and Design & Certification Principal Specialists, you will be accountable for the in-flight independent evaluation as part of the overall technical investigation/analysis and approval of certification projects and the continued airworthiness of aircraft, systems, engines and propellers, across all civil aerospace domains including commercial air transport, general aviation, unmanned air vehicles, space flight and innovation projects.
A varied role, that will include significant interaction with industry representatives remotely and in person, involve the review and approval of new parts and products and their design changes, validation of other nations' certifying authorities' work as well as the investigation of the UK Design Organisations' design approvals. Industry and regulatory engagement will be required to ensure that the CAA keeps appraised of future projects, the proposed introduction and development of new and innovative technologies and any proposed regulatory changes.
You will also be expected to work to the CAA's internal policies and procedures in their day-to-day role. Oversight of organisations will be conducted in accordance with the CAA's Performance Based Oversight business rules, applying proportionality based on the organisation's complexity, risk and performance.
Design and Certification Accountabilities
- Evaluate certification projects, as directed by the Principal Design and Certification Specialists, in relation to aerospace products, including but not limited to aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, space planes and launch vehicles, their propulsive systems, equipment, systems and their design changes (modifications). These may include submissions from both UK Design Organisations and those provided for validation under bilateral arrangements. Finding compliance with airworthiness requirements and making recommendations for approval of type, product or change.
- Ensure aerospace products for which the CAA has responsibility meet applicable initial and continued airworthiness standards; ensure in-service issues are adequately addressed to maintain the intended level of safety;
- Carry out CAA independent evaluations flights.
- Escalate significant safety matters in accordance with the CAA regulatory safety management system (RSMS).
- Identify and coordinate research or contribute into areas of significant airworthiness concern. Represent the CAA and / or Airworthiness in decision making committees and working groups, internally and externally, nationally and internationally from a design standpoint.
- Liaise with other regulators and accident investigation bodies in relation to accidents and events and their ICAO Annex 13 investigations or equivalent
- To audit the compliance and performance of approved Design Organisations and to assess their compliance with the relevant regulation and to do so in line with performance-based regulation (PBR) principles.
- Capture and readily share safety-relevant intelligence, information and analysis from multiple internal and external sources with all CAA groups.
- Deliver outcome focused oversight which considers the statutory compliance obligations, risk and performance with a safety outcome focus. Escalate risks to the appropriate level within SARG.
You would need to be able to hold a valid passport that allows international travel without restrictions. Also, either role will require ability to support time away from home on domestic and international travel to support allocated projects.
Panel 1 Flight and Human Factors Design and Certification Specialists must have:
- A valid UK Part-FCL ATPL or CPL licence or be able to obtain a UK Part FCL ATPL or CPL licence,
- A Cat 1 Flight Test Rating in accordance with FCL.820 Flight Test rating,
- A UK Part Med Class One medical, and
- Adequate knowledge of Part-21 and the one or more of the Initial Airworthiness Certification Specifications (e.g. CS-23/25/27/29), in particular Subpart B Flight
- A valid Part-FCL ATPL or CPL licence with an associated valid Type Rating and Instrument Rating,
- A current TRI rating and TRE authorisation,
- A UK Part Med Class One medical,
- Professional experience of at least 3 years acquired in an UK or EU civil operational aviation environment,
- Experience in flight crew training acquired as part of flight instruction,
- Adequate knowledge of UK Aircrew Regulation (EU) No.1178/2011 and Air Operations (EU) No.965/2012 with reference to OSD provisions, and
- Adequate knowledge of Part-21 and the CS-FCD.
- Proven expert, with detailed knowledge of the functioning and management of the aerospace industry, preferably gained by working in an approved organisation in an aerospace related engineering discipline.
- Proven knowledge of certification in one or more of the identified disciplines, as outlined below, with sufficient experience to have achieved level of Certification Signatory or Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE) within Industry, or expert and detailed knowledge of the functioning of aviation regulation gained through relevant experience within an Airworthiness Authority.
- Ability to use Microsoft 365 products
- Be able to write effective and concise reports in a timely manner
- Be flexible in your approach to applicants' methodology and processes
- Provide SME advice to other specialists with D&C and the wider CAA
- Able to work either individually or within a tean environment to ensure the most suitable and practical outcomes to the task
Relocation & Property: The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years' time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational, and environmental considerations. We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers. We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site, and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028
Inclusive Recruitment: We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.
Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates in the CAA recruitment process: We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.
Working With Us: We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.
We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance. We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!
Our Values: Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone - For more information please Click Here
Closing Date: 06May 2026
Interview Date: TBC
The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
No recruitment agencies please.