Principal Engineer – Aviation

Overview

At Critical Software we truly believe that our people is what makes us what we are. At the heart of everything we do are our diverse and talented individuals, pushing the boundaries of what´s possible.

Working at Critical is more than just a career choice, is more than a business: we're a community with a strong sense of purpose, values, and togetherness. Our engineering excellence ensures that we are a trusted partner to some of the world's leading companies in markets such as Aerospace, Railway, Medical Systems, Defense and many more.

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Engineer – Aviation to join our team. In this role, you will act as the key technical advisor in aviation-focused opportunities, supporting our Business Development while ensuring the seamless execution of complex aviation-related projects.

You will bridge the gap between sales and delivery, translating customer needs into robust technical solutions, and supporting our execution teams to deliver projects at the highest standards of safety, performance, and compliance.

This is a senior role requiring deep technical expertise in aviation systems, as well as strong business acumen to influence and guide stakeholders across the sales cycle.

Could you be the Principal Engineer that we've been looking for?

What will be your task

- Pre-Sales & Business Development: support sales teams in the aviation market, driving customer engagement at a technical level. You will lead technical discussions with clients, articulating complex solutions to both technical and business audiences. Identify and develop strategic alliances to complement our offering, enhancing differentiation, time-to-market and value creation.
- Solution Design & Business Proposals: develop solution architectures and technical proposals, engage with OEMs, technology partners, and channel partners to design joint technical solutionstailored for the aviation industry, ensuring compliance with aviation standards, regulations and safety-critical requirements.
- Delivery Support: act as a trusted advisor to project teams, ensuring technical quality and alignment with proposed solutions providing technical oversight during project execution. You will also participate in strategic projects for customer engagement and technical validation.
- Knowledge Sharing & Solution Reuse: Foster the sharing and reuse of proven solutions across aviation projects and promote continuous improvement in technical methodologies.
- Driving Innovation: Stay current with aviation industry developments by attending sector events, monitoring trends, and incorporating new insights into our approach.
- Lead Generation & Strategic Alliances: Collaborate with Business Development and Marketing teams on targeted lead generation campaigns, and identify strategic partnerships to boost differentiation, speed to market, and overall value creation.

What do we expect from you?

- Strong customer orientationand ability to build long-term client relationships.
- Proven expertise in aviation systems, safety-critical software and solutions for the aviation domain.
- Excellent problem-solving and solution design skills.
- Strong presentation, communication, and technical writing abilities.
- Leadership and mentoring capabilities to guide both sales and delivery teams.
- Solid understanding of business strategy and aviation market trends.
- Ability to work with autonomy and decision-making responsibility in high-stakes environments.
- 10+ years of experience in safety critical systems engineering, with at least 5 years in the aviation sector.
- Proven experience in pre-sales engineering, solution design, and technical leadership.
- Deep understanding of aviation standards and certifications (e.g., DO-178C, ARP4754, DO-326A).
- Demonstrated ability to support both sales activities and project delivery.
- Engineering degree in Computer Science, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
- Strategic and tactical thinking.
- Fluency in English (other languages are a plus).

What can you expect from us?

- A challenging environment where you can thrive, both personally and professionally
- A real possibility of impacting the lives of millions of people while working in the most critical industries
- The opportunity to make the difference while participating in social initiatives
- Work-life balance: flexible work policies designed to fit your life around your career at Critical
- Fringe Benefits and Well-being especially planned to support you and those who are important to you
- Modern and cosy offices that will make you feel just like home

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