Job Description

Salary: £70,000 to £72,000 plus a Market related Supplement

Contract Type: Full Time Permanent

Location: Gatwick / Hybrid

Security Level : CTC

Visa Restrictions: This position does not currently offer visa sponsorship.

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The Role

The General Aviation (GA) Unit is responsible for the initial certification, continued and continuing airworthiness of approximately 18,000 general Aviation (GA) aircraft (balloons, sailplanes, gyrocopters, light aircraft (non-Complex aeroplanes) and helicopters (non-complex) regulated under both UK Part-21 and non-Part-21 (Annex I).

The Initial Airworthiness Surveyor is primarily responsible for ensuring all:

• initial airworthiness applications requiring authorisation from CAA are issued following adequate assessment of safety risk and compliance with regulations.
• planned oversight of Design and Production Organisations satisfies regulatory requirements whilst using Performance Based Oversight (PBO) principles to target risk effectively and efficiently,
• continued airworthiness issues and other unplanned oversight (Whistleblowers, MOR’s, in-service issues) are effectively risk assessed, managed, and escalated in a timely way (where necessary),
• associated activities are clearly identified and targeted to risk as well as compliance,
• Human Factors considerations are central to risk management decisions.

Additionally, the Initial Airworthiness Surveyor is required to:

• • Prioritise and manage their workload ensuring that safety and risk are effective managed whilst ensuring that stakeholder applications are processed in a timely manner
  • Collaborate and work flexibly to support the work of colleagues within the CAA. This will include developing and mentoring team members within the GAU.
  • Provide expert advice for DOA, POA and product certification related oversight issues and advice, as well as leading the developing of related policy & procedures.
  • Represent the Initial and Continued Airworthiness viewpoint in internal and external meetings.
  • support the development and implementation of proportionate, risk-based national requirements, regulations and guidance in the broadly non-commercial operation of non-complex civil aircraft whilst ensuring compliance with international standards and practices

About you: Ideally you will be qualified in aeronautical engineering and have gained experience as a design or production engineer in the aviation Industry, preferably in the GA sector.

Essential Criteria

• Maintain appropriate expertise and provide a source of expert advice to CAA colleagues and stakeholders as required.
• Ensure aircraft in-service defects including MORs are investigated and all necessary action taken to maintain safety standards. Take direct airworthiness safety intervention measures where necessary including in-service difficulties / incidents and accidents to ensure the continued safety of participants and third parties.
• Take proportionate and timely action on aircraft owners, organisations and individuals where their poor safety standards and performance are deemed unacceptable.

• Able to audit or inspect a company, operator or specific equipment against established procedures and or requirements
• Confidently communicate up to Board level, influencing positively but with authority, to support, engage and influence evolving procedures.
• Have a detailed knowledge of UK requirements including ANO, BCARs, Part 21 Regulations and advisory material.
• Good knowledge of General Aviation (GA) aircraft types and the GA aircraft industry
• Knowledge of other relevant international regulations.
• Knowledge of Information Technology and Information Management Systems as applied within the aviation industry.
• Confidently work autonomously and manage your portfolio proactively

• Proven expert and detailed knowledge of the functioning and management of the aviation industry preferably gained by working in an aeronautically related engineering discipline, along with the functioning of aviation regulation gained through relevant experience within an Airworthiness Authority or Approved Organisation.
• Proven ability to monitor, guide and control technical decisions on a wide range of major safety issues.
• Able to operate in various cultural business environments at all levels.
• Confidently able to manage a multiple number of widely differing challenges, whilst using sound judgment, lateral thinking and adaptable to foresee and plan for wider complex implications.
• Able to understand specialist issues and modulate technical views to account for wider business and political considerations, and to challenge information, propositions or assumptions affecting safety, including those of a deep technical nature, across a range of disciplines.
• Capable of making timely decisions and able to identify when to escalate issues.
• Confident communicator at all levels, having the ability to conduct technical conversation and engage with all stakeholders across various sectors, and confidently able to effectively deliver challenging and complex messages with clarity, tact and diplomacy
• Confidently produce accurate reports and the co-ordination of reports in support of day-to-day role.

Additional Security Information: For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

CTC - To be vetted we will usually expect a reasonable period of residency in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. For this role this will need to be 3 years. For more information on CTC clearance please visit - Vetting explained - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Relocation & Property: The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational, and environmental considerations. We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers. We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site, and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028

Inclusive Recruitment: We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates in the CAA recruitment process: We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.

Working With Us: We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.

We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance. We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!

Our Values: Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – For more information please Click Here

Closing Date: 05 January 2026

Interview Date: Mid-January 2026 in person Gatwick

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

No recruitment agencies please.