Electrical System Architect
The position
The Electrical System Architect – DA Systems Owner at PAL-V’s Design Organisation plays a hands-on, senior technical leadership role within the electrical domain, covering both hardware and embedded software architecture, certification execution, and system ownership for Design Assurance (DA) systems.
This role focuses on owning and driving the electrical system lifecycle for safety- and certification-critical systems (e.g. Electrical Power System, Main Power Unit and other Development Assurance (DA) systems), ensuring that requirements, architecture, verification, and compliance activities are executed in line with aviation standards and regulatory expectations.
The Electrical System Architect bridges system engineering, HW/SW development, and certification execution. The role is accountable for defining and maintaining the electrical system architecture, safeguarding design and compliance deliverables, coordinating verification strategies, and ensuring end-to-end traceability from requirements through implementation and validation.
The role reports directly to the Electrical Systems Group Lead and works closely with project team leads, system, hardware, software, and mechanical engineers, as well as suppliers and certification stakeholders.
Your future job
Tasks and (key) responsibilities
- System Ownership (DA Electrical Systems)
Act as the single technical owner for assigned DA electrical systems (e.g. EPS, MPU), serving as the primary point of contact for system-level questions, decisions, and technical alignment. - Electrical Architecture (HW/SW)
Define and maintain the logical and physical architecture of electrical and embedded systems, including power distribution, control electronics, embedded software, and interfaces to mechanical and vehicle-level systems. - Certification Execution (DO-178C / DO-254)
Own and drive the execution of certification activities within the electrical domain, including planning, compliance mapping, and alignment with applicable standards (e.g. DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754B, EASA/FAA expectations, CS-23/VTOL where applicable). - Requirements & Traceability (V-Model)
Lead requirements capture, decomposition, and bidirectional traceability between system requirements, architecture, HW/SW design, and verification artifacts (SSDD, ICDs, compliance matrices). - Interface & Integration Management
Define and maintain Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and ensure robust integration across electrical, software, and mechanical domains. - Design Reviews & Technical Alignment (PDR / IDR / CDR)
Prepare and lead electrical system-level PDR, IDR, and CDR sessions, ensuring design maturity, compliance readiness, and alignment with program milestones. - Safety & Risk Management
Lead and review electrical and software safety analyses (e.g. FMEA, FHA, SSA, DAL allocation), ensuring consistency with system architecture and certification strategy. - Verification & Test Strategy (MoC / Test Infrastructure)
Define and coordinate verification strategies together with HW and SW team members, including Means of Compliance (MoC), test planning, and development/qualification of test rigs and laboratory environments (e.g. MoC-4 concepts for embedded software and electronics). - Estimation & Planning Support
Provide effort estimation, resource input, and schedule impact analysis for DA electrical systems, supporting CDR readiness and program planning. - Process & Repository Structure (DA Systems)
Contribute to defining and maintaining structured repositories and processes for DA systems (e.g. alignment across SharePoint, PLM, and Git-based environments). - Technical Coaching & Knowledge Transfer
Mentor engineers across HW and SW teams, promoting strong system ownership, documentation discipline, focal point for Electrical team towards mechanical teams and certification-aware engineering practices.
Soft(ware)skills
- Strong sense of technical ownership and accountability in safety-critical, regulated environments.
- Structured, analytical problem solver with a strong HW/SW integration mindset.
- Proven experience in aviation industry and certification-driven development (EASA/FAA context or equivalent).
- Solid background in system engineering methodologies (V-model; MBSE is a strong plus).
- Demonstrated experience leading PDR, IDR, and CDR within an electrical/embedded systems scope.
- Strong understanding of complex electrical and electronic systems, including embedded software, power systems, control electronics, and system interfaces.
- Strong discipline in technical documentation, traceability, and structured repositories in certification-driven environments.
- Ability to review and assess embedded software architectures in a DO-178C / DO-254 context (hands-on coding is a plus, not a primary requirement).
- Experience in aeronautical system design and integration, preferably in safety-critical or regulated industries.
- Ability to lead within the Electrical team and be the interface of the team towards other internal and external teams
- Ability to lead and coach a young team of engineers and develop their capabilities
Your profile
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
- 8+ years of relevant professional experience in electrical/embedded systems development, preferably in aviation, aerospace, or other safety-critical domains.
- Strong written and spoken English communication skills.
PAL-V offers you
At PAL-V, we believe that happy and motivated employees are the key to success. That's why we've designed benefits and perks that go above and beyond the ordinary, to create the best working environment for our employees.
Our offer for you
What sets the standard
- We value dedication and commitment. Receive attractive rewards and compensation according to our custom job and salary structure;
- The System Architect is graded within our job and salary structure, ranging from € 5.161,- to a maximum of € 7.679,- gross per month.
- Enjoy a commuting allowance of €0.23 per kilometre, up to a maximum one-way distance of 75 km and receive €2.45 for a home working day;
- Benefit from a holiday bonus of 8% and receive 27 vacation days, with the option to purchase an additional 10 days for those moments when you need time for yourself;
- Your well-being is paramount, which is why we offer a solid 50/50 pension scheme;
- As a growing organisation, we offer numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth. Whether you are at the beginning of your career or have years of experience, with us, you have the chance to enhance your skills, explore new areas, and develop into the professional you aspire to be;
- We not only provide vertical growth opportunities within your field but also horizontal growth into other departments and roles. This allows you to broaden your horizons, develop new skills, and build a versatile career that aligns with your interests and passions.
To keep you healthy
- Experience the convenience of flexible working hours;
- Enjoy delicious fresh fruit at the office;
- We encourage a healthy lifestyle, and what better way to unwind during your break than with a refreshing stroll by the water?
- With our vitality platform, you can connect with colleagues who share the same hobbies and interests, enhancing team spirit and providing opportunities to discover new activities.
Because it's fun
- Experience a close-knit family atmosphere and team activities.
- Be surprised by our dedicated Social Crew, who ensure fun at work.
- On your birthday, you have a unique conversation starter: share that you're contributing to the world leader in FlyDrive mobility solutions! Not every day someone gets to be a part of such an innovative and pioneering industry.
Apply now!
The application process
- Apply now by sending us your motivational letter and resume.
- You will receive a direct confirmation of your application, please check your SPAM folder.
- Within 5 workdays, you will receive a personal response to your application.
- The application procedure consists of 2 or 3 interviews, in which you will at least talk to:
- Head of Design Organisation and Team Lead Electrical Systems.
Join PAL-V in our quest for a multicultural team! While we are unable to offer support during our startup phase, we only consider candidates who hold a permanent residence permit in the Netherlands. Preference will be given to candidates who can attend interviews in person.
