Lead Engineer H/F à Paris, France

At Expliseat, we are reinventing the way people travel. Since 2012, our patented ultralight aircraft seats have been making planes lighter, reducing fuel consumption, and cutting CO₂ emissions. With over 10,000 seats already flying worldwide, we are the leader in ultralight seats for regional aviation and are now expanding into the medium-haul market.

Our mission? Combine performance, comfort, and a positive environmental impact.

Join a passionate team where innovation, agility, and bold ideas drive every project—and help decarbonize tomorrow’s mobility ✈️

Role Overview

The purpose of the Lead Engineer is to lead the engineering development programs for our innovative and class-leading aircraft passenger seating. In this high-impact role, you will lead the design and development throughout the product lifecycle from initial concept through development, certification and into production, delivering a safe, reliable product, compliant to stringent aerospace regulations and meeting the highest standards for aesthetic, comfort and ergonomics.

Key Responsibilities

• Engineering Leadership: In conjunction with the Engineering Project Manager, provide effective technical leadership to achieve successful delivery of the engineering program, defining and executing the design & development plan with a cross-functional engineering team.

• Cross-Functional Team Management: Lead the day-to-day task execution of a cross-functional engineering team of mechanical engineers, CAD drafting, Trim & Comfort, Certification and Stress Analysis and Test.

• Accurate Design Definition: Right First Time, On Time In Full release of high quality 3d and 2d engineering data from Engineering to Operations.

• Design Optimization: Champion Design for Weight (DFW), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Cost (DFC) principles to ensure the engineering solution is a competitive, lightweight, and easily manufacturable product.

• Trim & Finish Excellence: Elevate the passenger experience by maintaining exceptionally rigorous standards for premium Trim & Finish materials, textures, and mechanical integration.

• Customer Engagement: Act as the primary technical point of contact for airline clients, leading design reviews, presenting technical milestones, and incorporating direct customer feedback.

Key Requirements - Essential

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or a related subject.

• 3+ years of experience in aircraft interior design and/or passenger seating development.

• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary NPI (New Product Introduction) engineering teams in a highly regulated environment.

• Strong competence in all aspects of engineering development processes including specification development, compliance matrix, managing to weight and cost, concept selection, design for manufacture and assembly and risk management.

• Expert knowledge and experience of a variety of materials (aluminium, composite, plastics, soft trim) and manufacturing processes (machining, extrusion, injection moulding, thermo-forming).

• Strong competence in engineering definition including the generation of high-quality engineering models, drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.

• A strong eye for detail and high-level craftsmanship, with a proven ability to deliver exceptional Trim & Finish, and awareness of design for perceived quality.

• Curious, rigorous, autonomous, and comfortable working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

• Fluent in technical English, both written and spoken.

Key Requirements - Preferred

• 5+ years of experience in aircraft interior design and passenger seating development.

• Comprehensive familiarity with FAA/EASA airworthiness standards for cabin safety and interior furnishings (e.g., FAR/CS 25.853, 25.562)

• Significant experience of seat integration programs on regional, narrowbody and/or widebody aircraft types, including high levels of competency in the delivery of airframe compliant LOPAs.

Why Join Us?

- Contribute to a more environmentally friendly industry.

- Join a passionate and agile team where every idea matters.

- Grow within an innovative, fast-growing company.

All our positions are open to people with disabilities.