Technical Strategy Specialist - Hydrogen Combustion

Hydrogen Combustion - Design & Certification Specialist

Salary Range : Min £50,477 to Max £67,303 per annum, depending on experience

Contract Type: 6-8 months FTC

Security Level: BPSS

Visa Restrictions: This position does not (currently) offer visa sponsorship.

Location: Gatwick / London / Hybrid: Whilst, we embrace hybrid working, there will be an expectation to attend the office weekly, at least 1 day a week, but is subject to business needs and change.

Closing Date: 15th Aug 2025

Interview Date: TBC  Via Teams

About us

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

Are you an aerospace engineering specialist, with experience in hydrogen and zero emission propulsion, to act as a Design & Certification subject matter expert.?

The role will support the overall CAA and Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) capability business, specifically to establish and deliver the UK’s ICAO State of Design responsibilities.

Reporting to the Technical Strategy Lead – Zero Emission Flight, you will be accountable for the technical investigation/analysis of research, development and certification projects relating to hydrogen propulsion and aircraft integration.

Additionally, the role will include significant interaction with industry representatives and will involve the review and approval of new parts and products in addition to their design changes. It will also include the validation of other nations’ certifying authorities’ work, as well as the investigation of the UK Design Organisation’s design approvals.

The specialisation in this role may vary to encompass other new and emerging zero emission technologies to enable safe zero emission flight.

Key Accountabilities:

• Conduct audits, inspections or assessments of compliance of medium and high complexity or risk
• Evaluate certification projects related to aerospace products in the field of hydrogen and ZEF propulsion.
• Determine compliance with airworthiness requirements and make recommendations for approval of product or change alongside the Design and Certification Team.
• Clarify where necessary, existing requirements and contribute to the development of new ones to cover new technology, novel applications of existing technology, and novel proposals for compliance demonstration.
• 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 in relation to hydrogen propulsion.
• Liaise with other regulators and accident investigation bodies in relation to accidents and events and their ICAO Annex 13 investigations or equivalent.
• Writing technical reports
• Support policy recommendations for hydrogen and new innovative technologies
• Provide an informed view on the interpretation of policies and acting as the first point of escalation where necessary.

About You

You will understand the interdependencies and knock-on impact of decisions in other areas of the organisation, along with an awareness of external developments and their impact on the day-to-day duties of the role. You will be comfortable having autonomy to approve or manage exceptions to policy/standard practice within set parameters using judgement and technical expertise, along with the authority to carry out enforcement measures, escalating instances of high complexity or risk.

Essential Criteria:

• Proven expert, with knowledge of the functioning of the aerospace industry, preferably gained by working in an approved organisation in an aerospace related engineering discipline.

• Knowledge of aerospace certification 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
• Engineering degree / equivalent demonstratable industry experience

• Able to monitor, guide and lead technical decisions on a wide range of major safety issues.
• Able to operate in various cultural business environments at all levels.
• Capable of using experience and making sound judgments, timely decision and thinking laterally to identify the wider implications.
• Able to manage a broad number of differing challenges and understand specialist issues and modulate technical views to account for wider business and political considerations.
• Comfortable to challenge information, propositions or assumptions, often of a deep technical nature and across a range of disciplines, affecting safety.
• Can confidently identify and escalate issues as appropriate.
• Confidently communicate at all levels particularly when conducting complex technical conversation that engage with key stakeholders.
• Produce reports and ensure the effective co-ordination of reports in support of day-to-day role.
• Supporting and, or leading a team that may or may not directly report to you.
• Confidently negotiate, and influence at various levels and comfortably collaborate to build effective relationships both internally and externally.
• Capable to use multiple IT systems and infrastructure.

Desirable Criteria:

• Qualification in one or more in: Fuel cell systems, Cryogenic systems, Combustion systems, Fundamentals of hydrogen, Principles of hydrogen safety, Hydrogen safety technologies, Part 145, Part 66, Airworthiness, Project management
• Qualification in project management such as PRINCE2 or PMP to effectively support projects

• Able to work and understand hydrogen fuel cells in a transport environment
• Experience of working on hydrogen combustion systems at a research or development stage, and work with complex projects involving new and innovative technology
• Understand national and international aviation regulations and standard
• Able to interpret and apply the regulators requirements to design and certification
• Good analytical skills to identify potential hazards in new technologies and understand effective safety measures
• Be creative and strategic thinking to develop innovative solutions to safety and design challenges and ability to analyse problems, identify root cause and implement effective solutions
• Involvement in aviation design & certification programmes
• Collaboration on innovation projects

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance. BPSS - To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. For more information on BPSS clearance please visit - BPSS clearance

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.

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.

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  

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.