Specialist - Engineering - Load Control

Belonging to Air Canada is to belong to a Canadian symbol, Air Canada recently voted best airline in North America. Take your career to new heights by joining our innovative and diverse team at the forefront of passenger air transport.

The Specialist - Engineering - Load Control acts as the subject matter expert and technical authority for all of Air Canada regarding aircraft mass and balance engineering. The person occupying this position directs the development, governance, and continuous improvement of standards, methodologies, data, systems, and operational procedures relating to aircraft loading, in accordance with manufacturer data, Transport Canada requirements, and applicable industry standards. They thereby ensure operational safety and compliance for the fleets of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, while offering specialized decision support for fleet entry into service, aircraft modifications, operational performance, and digital transformation initiatives.

Responsibilities:

Technical Authority and Governance

• Act as the company's technical authority regarding standards, methodologies, and data relating to aircraft Load Control engineering, ensuring their uniform application across all fleets and within supported operational activities.
• Establish, govern, and drive continuous improvement of load control policies, technical standards, and operational requirements applicable to aircraft operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and supported assisted carriers.
• Interpret and apply aircraft manufacturers' weight and balance manuals, Transport Canada requirements, IATA aircraft type ground operations manual standards, and other applicable regulatory and industry directives.

Fleet Entry into Service and Configuration Management

• Lead the development and validation of aircraft mass and balance data sets to facilitate the entry into service of new aircraft types, introduction of new fleets, and major operational changes.
• Assess aircraft modifications, cabin reconfigurations, and technical modifications to determine their impact on operating empty weight, center of gravity, loading characteristics, and operational capacity.
• Define aircraft weighing requirements, provide technical guidance to Air Canada Maintenance, and validate resulting aircraft weight and balance reports and logs.
• Develop operating empty weight estimates for proposed aircraft configurations and provide reliable data to support payload and range analysis, aircraft performance, and network decision-making.

Technical Standards and Operational Support

• Lead the development and implementation of load planning procedures fully aligned with the company's weight and balance systems and operational processes.
• Perform and approve complex technical analyses, including mass and moment calculations, center of gravity reduction, and special load assessments.
• Establish and maintain standardized passenger, baggage, and operating material weights in accordance with approved statistical methods and relevant regulatory and IATA requirements.
• Lead the development, technical validation, and management of aircraft-specific load planning manuals, loading instructions, cargo compartment restrictions, and supporting technical documentation.
• Provide expert technical advice and approve special loading instructions in complex, non-standard, or urgent operational situations.

Digital Solutions and Operational Efficiency

• Manage aircraft configuration and loading data within enterprise weight and balance platforms, establishing controls that ensure accuracy, traceability, configuration integrity, and timely integration of approved modifications.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve payload capacity, aircraft utilization rate, fuel efficiency, and operational performance through the optimization of mass and balance calculation methods and aircraft mass data.
• As the subject matter expert in Load Control engineering, lead the design, implementation, testing, and continuous improvement of digital weight and balance applications, technical databases, and automated calculation tools used by technical flight crews, load agents, and other operational stakeholders.

Risk Management, Collaboration, and Continuous Improvement

• Identify, evaluate, and mitigate safety, compliance, and operational risks arising from Load Control aspects of mass and balance data, loading procedures, system modifications, and related information flows.
• Provide cross-functional technical leadership and advisory services to Flight Operations, Air Canada Maintenance, Airports, Air Canada Cargo, Network Planning, Digital Solutions, Aircraft Programs, and Safety teams, as well as external suppliers and regulatory bodies.
• Provide technical guidance and ensure knowledge transfer to members of the Aircraft Performance team; represent Air Canada in relevant industry working groups and contribute to the development of load control standards and practices.
• Lead continuous improvement and process optimization initiatives aimed at simplifying work, strengthening data quality, improving system reliability, and increasing operational efficiency; assume the responsibilities of the designated Weight and Balance team representative and process improvement owner as described in the Aircraft Performance Procedures Manual (APPM).

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or aeronautical engineering, or a technical diploma in a closely related discipline; combination of education and equivalent experience in the field will be considered.

Experience

• At least five years of experience with progressive responsibilities in aircraft mass and balance engineering, airline load control, aircraft performance, or a closely related operational engineering function.
• Experience supporting aircraft entry into service, cabin reconfiguration, aircraft modification, or other complex fleet programs, including the development and validation of controlled technical data.

Knowledge and Technical Skills

• In-depth knowledge of commercial aircraft load planning and weight and balance principles, aircraft certification data, aircraft manufacturer weight and balance manuals, Transport Canada requirements, and IATA aircraft type ground operations manual standards.
• Strong digital capabilities and analytical aptitude, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with engineering databases, automated calculation tools, or programming; knowledge of VBA, AutoCAD, and Smart4Aviation's SmartLOAD is an asset.

Leadership, Judgment, and Communication

• Proven technical judgment, systems thinking, and ability to solve complex technical problems while demonstrating an unwavering commitment to operational safety, data integrity, and technical excellence.
• Proven ability to lead by influence, establish effective governance, and collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders, suppliers, manufacturers, and regulatory bodies without direct authority.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, and ability to translate complex technical issues into clear operational directives and recommendations for senior management; proficiency in French is an asset.

Employment Conditions:

Candidates must be eligible to work in the country concerned at the time an offer of employment is presented and are responsible for obtaining necessary work permits, visas, or other authorizations. Proof of eligibility must be provided prior to the start date.

Language Requirements

Equal skills permitting, preference will be given to bilingual candidates.

Diversity and Inclusion

Air Canada is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible, and rewarding work environment that highlights the unique contribution of our employees to our company's success.

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage diverse applications so that we can build a workforce that is varied and representative of our customers and the communities where we live and offer our services.

Air Canada thanks all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.