Technical Strategy Specialist - Hydrogen

Salary: £60,00 to £66,000 Per Annum

Contract Type: Full Time Contract upto 24months

Security Level: BPSS

Location: London / Gatwick / Hybrid

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 CAA’s Hydrogen Challenge is a world-leading initiative to develop the regulatory framework to enable the safe use of hydrogen within aviation, including at aerodromes and on aircraft. To support the delivery of the Hydrogen Challenge over the coming years, the CAA are looking for a technical strategy specialist, with experience in aerospace certification, hydrogen and zero emission propulsion.

The successful applicant will act as subject matter expert in the Future Safety and Innovation team, focussed on the deliverables within the hydrogen challenge, but supporting other areas of innovation where necessary. As the hydrogen specialist, you will be responsible for supporting the overall Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) capability business plan and the wider CAA.

Reporting to the Technical Strategy Lead – Zero Emission Flight, you will be seeking to address the question ‘how do we safely enable hydrogen within aviation’. Specifically, you will be responsible for the technical investigation and analysis of research, development and certification projects relating to hydrogen propulsion and aircraft integration. The role will include significant interaction with industry representatives, remotely and in person.

The specialisation in this role may vary to encompass other new and emerging zero emission technologies to enable safe zero emission flight.

Core Accountabilities

• Evaluate pre-certification projects, as directed by the Technical Strategy Lead Zero Emission Flight, in relation to aerospace products in the field of hydrogen and zero emission flight (ZEF) propulsion.
• Determining compliance with airworthiness requirements and outlining areas for addressing policy recommendations.
• Clarify where necessary, existing requirements and contribute to the development of new ones to cover new technology, novel applications of existing technology, and novel proposals for compliance demonstration.
• Escalate significant safety matters in accordance with the CAA regulatory safety management system (RSMS).
• Identify and coordinate research or contribute into areas of significant airworthiness concern. Represent the CAA and / or Airworthiness in decision making committees and working groups, internally and externally, nationally and internationally from a design standpoint in relation to hydrogen propulsion.
• Writing technical reports which are shared widely with industry and internally across the CAA
• Support creation of policy recommendations for hydrogen and new innovative technologies

About You:

You will be a proven expert, with knowledge of the functioning of the aerospace industry, preferably gained by working in an approved organisation in an aerospace related engineering discipline.

Knowledge of aerospace certification with sufficient experience to have achieved level of Certification Signatory or Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE) within Industry, or expert and detailed knowledge of the functioning of aviation regulation gained through relevant experience within an Airworthiness Authority

You will ideally have Engineering degree or the equivalent demonstratable industry experience.

Essential Criteria

• Ability to monitor, guide and control technical decisions on a wide range of major safety issues.
• Confidently able to operate in various business environments.
• Capable of using experience and making sound judgments, along with the ability to think laterally to identify the wider implications.
• Confidently balance work that may have differing priorities and levels of output.
• Ability to understand specialist issues and modulate technical views to account for wider business and political considerations.
• Able to collaboratively challenge information, propositions or assumptions, often of a deep technical nature and across a range of disciplines, affecting safety.
• Capable of making timely decisions
• Able to consider when enough information is available to decide on matters affecting safety.
• Ability to identify when an escalation may be required  
• Confident to communicate at across all levels and can conduct technical conversation and engage with all stakeholders.
• Perform report writing and co-ordination of reports.
• Confident in the use of multiple IT systems and infrastructure.

Desirable Criteria:

Understanding of or a desire to develop knowledge in Fuel cell systems, Cryogenic systems, Combustion systems, Fundamentals of hydrogen, Principles of hydrogen safety, Hydrogen safety technologies, Part 145, Part 66, Airworthiness

• Project management – qualification in project management such as PRINCE2 or PMP to effectively support projects
• Ability to work and understand hydrogen fuel cells in a transport environment
• Experience of working on hydrogen combustion systems at a research or development stage
• Ability to work on complex projects involving new and innovative technology
• Regulatory knowledge –the ability to understand national and international aviation regulations and standard and the ability to interpret and apply the regulators requirements to design and certification
• Risk management – strong analytical skills to identify potential hazards in new technologies and understand effective safety measures
• Problem solving – creative and strategic thinking to develop innovative solutions to safety and design challenges and ability to analyse problems, identify root cause and implement effective solutions
• Involvement in aviation design & certification programmes
• Collaboration on innovation projects

Please note Travel is required within the UK and occasional wider afield dependent on business activities. Ability to travel to remote locations within the UK. This can be discussed further at interview.

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.  To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. For more information on BPSS clearance please visit - BPSS clearance

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: 03 June 2026

Interview Date: 15 & 19 June, Via Virtual MS Teams

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.