Senior Aircraft Certification Lead — FAA/EASA Compliance

Mako is putting 'shark skin' on planes to save fuel and reduce emissions. Mako's mission is to improve the efficiency of the global aviation fleet, saving billions in fuel and megatonnes of CO2 every year. We are looking for a Senior Certification Engineer to lead our certification processes, both locally and internationally, and help make shark skin on planes a reality! You will report to the Product Engineering Team Lead.

What You Will Do

• Lead the end to end certification efforts for Mako's aircraft modifications, including development of Project Specific Certification Plans and compliance roadmaps.
• Interpret regulatory requirements and translate them into clear system and product level requirements for Mako's engineering teams.
• Prepare, review, and submit compliance documents including certification plans, test plans, reports, conformity documentation, and compliance checklists.
• Liaise directly with regulatory consultants and advisors, as well as authorities such as the FAA, EASA, CASA, military airworthiness authorities, and Designated Engineering Representatives to progress approvals.
• Work closely with product engineering, manufacturing, and quality management teams to ensure certification requirements are embedded throughout Mako.
• Identify opportunities to achieve certification faster, cheaper, and easier across aircraft types and jurisdictions and develop a strategy for our ongoing certification program that allows us to deploy our product as rapidly as possible.

What Success Looks Like

• First Month: Develop a solid understanding of Mako’s product architecture, installation concepts, materials behaviour, and the current certification strategy and ongoing programs. Review existing certification documentation such as submitted and draft Project Specific Certification Plans (PSCPs), requirements sets, compliance matrices, and design data. Build working relationships with key internal teams including aerodynamics, materials, test engineering, field engineering, quality and manufacturing systems.
• First Six Months: Take ownership of Mako’s certification programs, including planning, documentation, and authority communication. Lead development or refinement of PSCPs, compliance roadmaps, and verification strategies. Drive preparation of certification documentation and ensure traceability across requirements, design data, tests, and compliance findings. Improve internal processes for requirements management, conformity, documentation control, and regulator engagement.
• First Year: Successfully lead major elements of the STC approval process, such as completing verification programs, closing compliance findings, or driving authority acceptance of novel methodologies. Build strong working relationships with regulators and industry partners, establishing Mako a trusted and competent certification organisation. Mentor junior engineers and uplift internal airworthiness capability and processes. Contribute to medium/long term certification strategy for additional aircraft types, operator pathways, or international authorities.

About You

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Materials Engineering or similar.
• Thrive in a fast-moving, ambiguous and constantly evolving startup environment.
• 5+ years of experience working in highly technical, highly regulated fields such as aerospace, medical or automotive.
• 2+ years experience in aircraft/drone certification, preferably on TCs, STCs, major modifications and production authorisation.
• Strong working knowledge of FAA 14 CFR Part 21/25 or equivalent and other aerospace standards such as DO-160, ARP5412 etc.
• Demonstrated ability to interface with authorities and DERs.
• Strong systems engineering mindset and experience with systems engineering principles and requirements management.

Why You Should Join Mako

• Impact: Aviation is one of the hardest to abate industries, and its share of global emissions is only growing. Join our mission to improve the efficiency of the global fleet and save millions of tonnes of CO2 every year.
• Technology: Our technology leverages the drag-reducing properties of shark skin to make aircraft more efficient. You'll be exposed to expertise and developments in materials, photolithography, fluid dynamics, and scale manufacturing.
• Team: Our team focuses on achieving our mission. We live our values of lift over drag, active transparency, and changing the boundary conditions, and we welcome new team members who want to do the same.
• Corporate Jet: We have (most of) a corporate jet. It won't fly, but it sure does look cool.