Principal Designer - Design & Consulting Department

Principal Designer- Design & Consulting Department

Contract Type: Permanent

Job Location: Belgium- Zaventem

Principal Designer- Design & Consulting Department

Mission

The Principal Designer is a highly experienced professional in airside design, responsible for managing large, complex multidisciplinary airside design projects. This role ensures projects meet quality standards, deadlines, and budget constraints, while maintaining deep knowledge of market requirements, customer needs, and the latest technological innovations. The Principal Designer produces consultancy and technical reports, completes engineering calculations, and reviews technical drawings for airside consultancy and design projects.

Responsibilities

• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, presenting and defending design and consulting deliverables with clarity and confidence.
• Break down project assignments into specific, manageable tasks, sequence them, and assign appropriate resources.
• Accurately estimate time requirements for tasks, set realistic deadlines, and ensure timely completion.
• Manage large, complex multidisciplinary airside design projects, coordinating teams of design technicians, designers, and external consultants/specialists.
• Write airside consultancy reports based on analysis of existing infrastructure, identifying areas for improvement and recommending solutions.
• Prepare detailed technical airside design analysis reports.
• Develop airside infrastructure bills of quantities for bidding and execution stages.
• Complete airside engineering calculations (e.g., electrical power, airfield lighting, heat dissipation, structural calculations).
• Produce, oversee, or review AVDGS top, side, and front view drawings.
• Oversee or review airfield layout drawings (lighting, signs, marking, ducts, pits, cabling), installation detail drawings, electrical wiring schematics, and structural/fit-out drawings.
• Oversee or review airside layout drawings for integration into ADB Safegate Airside systems (Apron Management, ALCMS, ICWP, Weather).
• Provide technical support during installation, testing, commissioning, and maintenance phases.
• Stay updated on industry trends, technologies, and innovations in airside infrastructure and operations.
• Propose new product/system developments and improvements to existing products/systems within ADB Safegate.
• Prepare quotation documents for Design & Consulting services during bidding stages.
• Propose and implement improvements to internal procedures and tools based on project experience.
• Mentor, support, and train others in airside operations, infrastructure, and systems.
• Adhere to Autodesk Vault procedures for file management.

Skills & Qualifications

• Advanced proficiency in Autodesk AutoCAD.
• Intermediate proficiency in Autodesk Vault.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office and MS Teams.
• Advanced understanding of project processes and airside operations.
• Advanced knowledge of airside infrastructure (marking, airfield lighting, signage, heliport lighting, VDGS).
• Advanced knowledge of international and local aviation regulations, including ICAO standards and guidance manuals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proactive, innovative, and able to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in the aviation industry.
• Proven track record managing large, complex multidisciplinary airside design projects.
• Experience with ADB Safegate's full portfolio (products, systems, services) is highly desirable.

Education

• Engineering degree required.

Languages

• Fluent English required.
• Native or fluent French is a significant advantage.
• Additional language skills are a plus.

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to lead high-impact projects influencing the safety and efficiency of airside operations and infrastructure.
• Direct influence on industry reputation, customer satisfaction, project margins, innovation strategy, and talent retention.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Access to cutting-edge technologies and ongoing professional development.
• Collaborative, multicultural work environment.
• Chance to shape the future of airside operations and infrastructure within a global leader in aviation solutions.

If you want to join a global business and enjoy being a team player who's driven and passionate, then this is your opportunity to come on board by applying!

What to learn more about working at ADB SAFEGATE then check out our Career's website https://adbsafegate.com/about/career/