Aircraft Exterior Lighting Engineer

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

We are seeking an experienced Aircraft Exterior Lighting Engineer to lead the design, development, and validation of advanced exterior lighting systems for next-generation aircraft. This role will focus on delivering reliable, compliant, and high-performance lighting solutions across a range of platforms, including conventional and electric aircraft.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with aircraft lighting systems and a strong understanding of environmental, electrical, and regulatory considerations.

Key Responsibilities

Design and develop aircraft exterior lighting systems, including:

Navigation (position) lights

Anti-collision lighting

Landing and taxi lights

Recognition and logo lighting

Perform and document engineering analyses, including:

Electrical load and power consumption assessments

Thermal performance and heat dissipation analysis

Environmental durability (vibration, temperature extremes, moisture exposure)

Support system integration activities and ensure compatibility with aircraft electrical and structural systems

Collaborate with cross-functional teams including electrical, mechanical, and certification engineering

Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and environmental standards

Support testing and qualification activities, including environmental and EMI/EMC validation

Contribute to design reviews, technical documentation, and continuous improvement efforts

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Direct experience designing or supporting aircraft exterior lighting systems

Familiarity with DO-160 environmental testing and qualification standards

Knowledge of EMI/EMC principles and their impact on aircraft systems

Experience performing electrical and thermal analyses

Strong understanding of aircraft electrical systems and integration considerations

Experience in eVTOL, UAV, or electric aircraft development programs

Familiarity with LED-based lighting technologies and control systems

Experience with simulation or analysis tools for thermal and electrical performance

Knowledge of certification requirements for exterior lighting systems

Experience working with suppliers and managing component development

Salary Range: $100,000-$125,000

The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience 

ALTEN Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our Policy is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status.

Please beware of job seeker scams and see this important notice on our careers page for more information about our recruiting process.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.