A320 Aircraft Design Support Engineer (MAP)

Airbus Commercial Aircraft is seeking an Aircraft Design Support Engineer to join our Engineering department in Mobile, AL. This role focuses on the development, justification, and engineering approval of design solutions for aircraft primary and secondary structure non-conformities within the A320 Family.

About the role

The A320 Family MAP Structures Design Engineer operates in the fast-paced environment of the Final Assembly Line (FAL), flight line, and delivery center. This role serves as a critical interface between local manufacturing operations and transnational Airbus Design Offices and Chief Engineering networks. The core mission is to deliver immediate, high-quality, and structurally sound engineering solutions to maintain production flow without compromising aircraft safety or continued airworthiness.

The scope includes metallic and composite airframe structures across all relevant ATA chapters, ensuring shop floor deviations, damages, and concessions are permanently resolved or mitigated according to strict design principles.

Responsibilities

• Non-Conformity & Repair Resolution: Author, validate, and authorize technical solutions, repair drawings, rework instructions, and design datasets for primary and secondary structural issues.
• Airworthiness Accountability: Ensure absolute compliance with Aircraft Safety, Airbus Design Principles, and continuous Airworthiness requirements across all engineering files.
• Temporary Aircraft Definitions: Create, approve, and authorize temporary aircraft definitions (special instructions) for testing purposes in line with design and airworthiness requirements.
• Autonomous Fix Execution: Exercise autonomous decision-making to release standard structural repair instructions; coordinate major reworks through global Airbus engineering departments.
• FAL Liaison & Interface: Act as a critical functional interface on the shop floor between Chief Engineering/Design Offices and local Manufacturing and Quality Assurance departments.
• Proactive Engineering Input: Review and interpret complex design data, prepare materials for technical team briefings, and provide relevant input.
• Operational Optimization & Milestone Gates: Formulate, validate, and authorize technical design solutions and structure repair drawings for deviations discovered during assembly, outfit inspection, or production flights. Maintain strict adherence to quality, completeness, and lead-time thresholds in site Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• Transnational Alignment & Technical Authority: Represent the A320 Family Chief Engineering office and global Design Offices by delegation. Coordinate with overseas engineering and center-of-competency departments to resolve complex, non-standard structural problems.
• Aircraft Flight Line Readiness & Integration: Provide continuous on-site structures engineering support across the entire manufacturing process, from initial section delivery to final delivery flight. Deliver clear technical explanations and act as an engineering representative during customer acceptance negotiations.
• Proactive Eradication & Engineering Efficiency: Launch and monitor engineering design improvements, permanent modification drawings, drawing updates, and Design Query Notes (DQNs) to systematically eliminate recurring industrial defects and maximize product performance.
• Global Design Standardization: Partner with Airbus Americas and European Engineering departments to align local assembly line solutions with global engineering methods and core design principles.
• International Technical Collaboration: Represent the local manufacturing site and engineering perimeter in international technical working blocks to resolve cross-border anomalies and establish cross-functional consensus.
• Peer Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Share technical expertise across the wider engineering community, providing functional guidance and mentoring to team members within the structural design perimeter.
• Customer & Stakeholder Relations: Deliver technical explanations and present complex structural repair configurations directly to internal/external customers, suppliers, and the flight test department.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 3+ years of progressive experience in aircraft structure (airframe) design engineering support.
• In-depth knowledge and experience in primary and secondary aircraft structures design, repair design principles, and structural data assessments.
• Comprehensive understanding of Airbus Design Principles, industrial procedures, processes, and tools.
• Expert capability navigating standard Airbus manuals, including the Structural Repair Manual (SRM), Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), and Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC).
• Solid understanding of Airbus aircraft configuration management rules, the full change request process, and product structure tracking.
• Direct proficiency tracking and managing shop-floor and flight line non-conformities, concessions, and Design Query Notes (DQNs).
• Eligible for employment in the U.S.
• Willing to travel up to 10% of the time overseas and domestically within the Airbus international network, supplier, and customer sites.

Benefits

• Financial Rewards: Competitive base salary, incentive compensation (including profit-sharing schemes), retirement savings plan, and participation in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays, and a generous paid parental leave program.
• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), and other supplemental benefits.
• Individual Development: Upskilling and development opportunities through Airbus’ global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses, certifications, career path development, and participation in accelerated development programs and mobility opportunities.
• Support for flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.

Working Environment

The Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, AL, produces A320 Family aircraft and added a second product line for the A220 in 2019. The facility strengthens the U.S. aerospace industry and is part of Airbus’ strategy to enhance global competitiveness by meeting customer needs in the United States and beyond. Engineers at this facility work on every aspect of assembly, from managing technical information and quality control to maintenance tasks and health & safety, along flowlines and flightlines.

This role requires an awareness of potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation, and sustainable growth.