Head of Engineering - PET (Kinston)

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Airbus Commercial Aircraft is seeking a Head Of Engineering for our Plant Engineering Team (PET) in Kinston, NC. In this multifaceted role you will be responsible for managing the engineering team supporting the fabrication and assembly of commercial transport twin-aisle composite fuselages. This role ensures all engineering deliverables remain on track to support industrial timelines and schedule pressures while unyieldingly prioritizing and ensuring product safety. The leader will act as a buffer to protect the engineering team from undue operational pressure, while collaborating across disciplines to rapid-fire resolve product and process issues.

Our Engineers have the privilege of working on complex, highly engineered machines and are involved at all stages of the aircraft life cycle, from product development to manufacturing and direct support to our airline customers. If you’re interested in designing, creating, and testing the present and future of Airbus products across the globe, join our mission to connect the world.

The Airbus Kinston facility sits at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing, specializing in the production of large, advanced composite aerostructures. Our team builds critical components for the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 XWB, including the composite center fuselage and wing spar.

• •Financial Rewards: Competitive pay, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”)
• •Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a paid parental leave program.
• •Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages.
• •Individual Development: Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path; as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programmes; and both national and international mobility.

• •Provide timely engineering support and depositions for production line nonconformities by managing concessions and developing rework solutions.
• •Track operational KPIs and implement corrective action plans to resolve performance gaps.
• •Create, validate, and approve engineering corrections (modifications, drawing updates, design queries) to resolve technical issues.
• •Authorize temporary aircraft configurations (Special Instructions) aligned with aircraft architecture.
• •Ensure all team activities, processes, and cross-functional interfaces strictly adhere to Airbus Engineering standards.
• •Release standard repairs and troubleshooting instructions independently; collaborate with Transnational and A350 teams on major issues.
• •Act as the accountable engineer for approved repairs and reworks, interfacing directly with the Design Office, Chief Engineering, customers, and aviation authorities (EASA/FAA).
• •Exercise Airbus engineering delegation to ensure full compliance with Aircraft Safety and Airworthiness standards across all Product Engineering Team (PET) activities.
• •Manage, mentor, and set up a high-performing national engineering team to achieve operational and financial business goals. Actively protect the engineering team from undue industrial or delivery pressures.
• •Work in close collaboration with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Program, Procurement, and any other disciplines involved throughout the entire product lifecycle within the Multi-Functional Team (MFT)
• •Work directly with suppliers to implement clear, detailed, and achievable improvement plans.
• •Monitor the engineering team’s input/output; identify, report, and follow up on product, operational, and business risks and opportunities. Analyze data to report performance of recurring and non-recurring engineering activities.

• •Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical or electrical engineering or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• •Minimum of 20+ years engineering experience in aerospace engineering activities primarily associated with design, analysis and certification of aircraft systems and structures.
• •Minimum of 5 years leadership and management experience in the engineering field.
• •Proven focus on understanding and managing internal and external customers' expectations and true needs through humble listening, active questioning, and constructively challenging requirements.
• •Ability to advise top management and contribute to leading the business toward optimal operational decisions while always ensuring product safety through effective, factual communication.
• •Skilled at earning internal and external customer trust by providing clear, accurate, concise, and factual information.
• •Ability to understand and respect a diverse set of stakeholders' backgrounds, cultures, priorities, and organizations.

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