Principal Mechanical Engineer, Aircraft Interiors

About the role

iO Associates are partnered with a leading VIP aircraft completions organisation to appoint a Principal Engineer into its engineering function, driven by sustained demand across high-value, highly bespoke interior modification programs. This is a senior technical authority role, an SME, suited to an engineer who has personally led complex mechanical engineering activity in an aircraft completions environment. The role is heavily weighted towards deep capability in fluids dynamics and stress, alongside strong CAD (SolidWorks is a must). You will be the go‑to escalation point on technical decisions and will influence standards, methods, and delivery across multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Leading mechanical engineering direction across complex VIP aircraft interior completion and modification packages.
• Owning technical decision making and issue resolution across design, stress substantiation, and integration constraints.
• Reviewing and guiding engineering outputs including models, drawings, and analysis packs to ensure quality and compliance.
• Acting as the senior technical interface across engineering, design, production, quality, suppliers, and leadership.
• Mentoring engineers and raising technical consistency across the team.

Requirements

• 15 to 20 years of completions engineering experience.
• Mechanical engineering background with aircraft interiors and installation exposure.
• Fluids dynamics experience.
• Stress analysis experience.
• SolidWorks proficiency.
• Full US work authorisation required.

Pay

$130k - $150k + bonus + Relocation Package