Job details
Hours: Full time, Monday-Friday
Location: Hybrid, 3 days a week at our London Heathrow - Hangar
Contract: Permanent
Closing Date: 22nd October, 2026
In a nutshell
At Virgin Atlantic, our Fleet Technical Engineering team does more than manage the continued airworthiness of our aircraft. As part of our Part 21 Design Organisation, we also have the capability to develop and approve engineering solutions when the answer is not simply sitting in an aircraft manufacturer's manual.
We're looking for a Structures Engineer to join our Structures team at London Heathrow. You'll work under both our Part CAMO and Part 21 Design Organisation, managing continued airworthiness of our fleets, structural repair design and operational engineering.
One day you could be assessing manufacturer information and determining what action is required across our fleet; the next, you could be helping develop a structural repair solution to safely return an aircraft to service.
Whatever the challenge, safety and compliance come first. You'll use your aircraft structural knowledge and experience to define practical, technically robust solutions while supporting a safe, reliable and efficient operation.
Day to day
- Providing specialist structural engineering support for aircraft defects, operational issues, incidents and AOG events, developing safe and practical solutions while helping to minimise operational disruption.
- Producing structural repairs, modifications, engineering design instructions, drawings and technical reports in line with our CAA Part 21 Design Organisation Approval procedures.
- Reviewing fleet performance, maintenance feedback, delays and recurring structural issues, identifying opportunities to improve reliability and prevent recurrence.
- Supporting the development of maintenance policies that improve safety and reliability while helping manage maintenance and operational costs.
- Providing structural technical support for aircraft acquisitions, lease returns and end-of-lease activity.
- Working closely with colleagues across Engineering, Maintenance Control and Part 145, as well as manufacturers including Airbus and Boeing, suppliers, maintenance organisations and regulatory authorities.
- As your experience and knowledge of our operation develops, you'll also have the opportunity to become part of our Structures out-of-hours technical support team.
- Working collaboratively across the team, sharing technical knowledge and supporting colleagues as you build your own expertise.
About you
You'll bring aircraft structures engineering experience and the confidence to make safe, compliant and practical technical decisions in a fast-paced operational environment. This isn't a trainee role, but you don't need to arrive as a fully approved Part 21 specialist - we're interested in people with strong foundations who can continue developing across both sides of the role.
We're looking for someone with:
- An Engineering degree or HND in a relevant aviation discipline, or a CAA/EASA B1 Licence or equivalent.
- Relevant experience within an airline, aircraft manufacturer, CAMO, Design Organisation or aircraft structural repair environment.
- Experience of aircraft structural repair assessment, Part 21 design approval or continued airworthiness activity. Direct Part 21 Design Organisation experience would be an advantage, but is not essential if you bring strong relevant structures and Part M/CAMO experience.
- A good working knowledge of continued airworthiness requirements, with exposure to CAA Part M/Part CAMO, Part 21, Part 26 or applicable airworthiness and certification requirements.
- The ability to interpret complex technical information and turn it into clear, practical guidance for a range of stakeholders.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to work collaboratively across Engineering and represent Virgin Atlantic with manufacturers, suppliers and regulatory authorities.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to balance safety, compliance, operational requirements and commercial considerations.
You'll also be comfortable working in an environment where priorities can change quickly. When an operational or structural issue develops, you'll be able to assess the situation, work with the right people and help move it towards a safe and effective resolution.
Accessibility and inclusion
We're committed to making our recruitment process accessible. If you need reasonable adjustments or additional support, you can let us know in your application.
If you'd prefer to speak to someone directly before or during your application, interview or assessment, please contact our recruitment team at [email protected].
We know every role and candidate is different, so we'll discuss the adjustments available for the role and at each stage of the recruitment process.
Skills Required
- Engineering degree or HND in a relevant aviation discipline, or CAA/EASA B1 Licence or equivalent
- Relevant experience within an airline, aircraft manufacturer, CAMO, Design Organisation, or aircraft structural repair environment
- Experience with aircraft structural repair assessment, Part 21 design approval, or continued airworthiness activity
- Working knowledge of continued airworthiness requirements, including CAA Part M or Part CAMO, Part 21, Part 26, or applicable airworthiness and certification requirements
- Ability to interpret complex technical information and provide clear, practical guidance
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills for collaboration with engineering teams, manufacturers, suppliers, and regulatory authorities
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to balance safety, compliance, operational requirements, and commercial considerations
- Direct Part 21 Design Organisation experience
What We Do
Virgin Atlantic first took to the skies in 1984 to shake things up, bringing a sparkle of red, a touch of wit and a passion for flying to the grey world of airlines. We fell in love with creating the best experience in the skies for our customers, and they fell in love with us right back. Since then we’ve become Britain’s second largest carrier, with non-stop transatlantic routes including New York, Orlando, the Caribbean, Delhi and Johannesburg. And thanks to our hugely successful joint venture with Delta, Air France and KLM, we can seamlessly connect our customers to over 350 cities across North America, Europe and the UK. Today, we want to empower everyone to take on the world. The customers we proudly fly and our people who go the extra mile. As we embark on a brand spanking new era of travel, it gives us more opportunities to do things differently and lead the way with fresh ideas. This means becoming more sustainable for our planet and our destinations, and working hard to make travel open to everyone, no matter who you are, who you love or where you go. And of course never, ever, forgetting the small stuff - like the clink of champagne glasses on a special occasion or a cheeky cream tea at 30,000 feet.
