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Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers. WHAT TO EXPECT As Principal Loads & Aeroelasticity Engineer, you will report to the Loads & Dynamics Team Lead and act as a senior technical authority within the team. You will lead the definition, development, validation and certification support of aircraft loads and aeroelastic models, with a strong focus on model integrity, automation and scalable analysis capability. You will be responsible for ensuring that loads and aeroelastic requirements are robustly defined, demonstrated through credible analysis and supported by clear certification evidence. Working at aircraft level, you will drive the integration of structures, aerodynamics and control systems, ensuring that analysis methods are technically robust, repeatable and traceable throughout the aircraft development lifecycle. A key aspect of the role is ownership and development of aircraft-level modelling capability, including reduced-order structural models used to support loads, aeroelasticity and certification activities. You will play a leading role in model validation, correlation and continuous improvement, ensuring models remain representative as aircraft designs evolve. While this is not a formal line management role, you will mentor engineers within the Loads & Dynamics discipline, set technical standards and help shape the future direction of the function. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Lead the development, validation and certification support of aircraft loads and aeroelastic models at component and full aircraft level - Own and develop aircraft-level modelling capability, including reduced-order and global finite element models used for loads and aeroelastic analysis - Deliver loads and aeroelastic certification activities, producing robust technical evidence and compliance documentation - Drive integration of structural, aerodynamic and control system models to assess aircraft stability and dynamic response - Develop automated, repeatable and traceable analysis workflows to support rapid design iteration and configuration control - Oversee flutter, whirl flutter, gust, manoeuvre, fatigue and ground loads analysis across the flight envelope - Lead model validation and correlation activities using higher-fidelity models, Ground Vibration Test (GVT) data and flight test data - Support flight test definition, flutter clearance activities, model updating and certification campaigns - Provide technical mentorship and establish engineering best practice within Loads & Dynamics - Represent Loads & Aeroelasticity at senior technical reviews and cross-functional programme reviews WHAT YOU'LL BRING - 10+ years of experience in loads, aeroelasticity and structural dynamics - Proven experience working on certified aircraft programmes, including direct involvement in compliance demonstration activities - Strong expertise in aircraft loads, aeroelasticity, flutter, aeroelasticity and dynamic response analysis - Experience developing, maintaining, validating or correlating aircraft-level finite element models and reduced-order models - Strong understanding of CS-23/25/27/29 or equivalent certification requirements relating to loads, flutter and aeroelastic stability - Experience supporting Ground Vibration Testing (GVT), Flight Flutter Testing (FFT) and mode