Key Takeaways
- Bombardier is now a pure-play business aviation company after the 2020-2022 exits from commercial aircraft (A220 program sold to Airbus for $591 million in February 2020), rail (Alstom transaction around $8.4 billion enterprise value closed January 2021), and the Learjet brand (production wound down through 2022).
- Apply through the Bombardier careers site at careers.bombardier.com, which runs on SuccessFactors. Create a single candidate profile and apply to multiple postings across Montreal, Wichita, Belfast, Queretaro, and other sites.
- Montreal HQ roles are bilingual. French and English both matter, and Quebec Bill 96 has reinforced French as the working language of the Montreal workplace. Be honest about your French level because it will be tested.
- The product line in 2026 is Challenger 3500 and Challenger 650 super-midsize, Global 5500 / 6500 / 7500 / 8000 large-cabin long-range, and a service and completion footprint that still includes legacy Learjet aircraft through the Wichita service center.
- CEO Eric Martel, in the role since April 2020, is the architect of the turnaround. The cultural emphasis is on focus, execution, free cash flow, deleveraging, and the Services and Defense growth pillars.
- Operations are heavily unionized. Unifor represents Quebec manufacturing workers (Mirabel, Saint-Laurent, Dorval, Laurent), IAM represents Wichita, and Unite the Union represents Belfast. Operations leadership roles require demonstrated collective-agreement competence.
- Toronto Downsview is being wound down as operations migrate to Pickering and Mirabel, and Wichita is now positioned as a service and completion center rather than a final assembly site.
- Bombardier Defense is a declared growth pillar selling militarized Global and Challenger special-mission platforms to government customers including the German Pegasus ISR program and the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft program.
- Competitive set is Gulfstream, Dassault Falcon, Embraer Executive Jets, Pilatus, and Textron Aviation. Candidates with experience at these competitors or at major business aviation MROs (Duncan Aviation, West Star, Jet Aviation, Standard Aero, Dassault Falcon Jet service centers) translate directly into Bombardier roles.
- Compensation is competitive within Canadian aerospace but generally below US commercial space and below Gulfstream for comparable US-based roles. Canadian engineers typically earn CAD $75,000 to $160,000 depending on level and function, with senior technical and management roles reaching CAD $175,000 to $250,000 plus variable and share-unit grants.
About Bombardier
Application Process
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1
Search and apply through the Bombardier careers site at careers
Search and apply through the Bombardier careers site at careers.bombardier.com, which is a SuccessFactors-hosted job board. Postings are tagged by function (Engineering, Operations, Customer Services, Corporate) and by site (Montreal, Toronto Downsview, Wichita, Belfast, Queretaro, Dorval, Saint-Laurent, etc.).
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2
Create a SuccessFactors candidate account with full work history, education, lan
Create a SuccessFactors candidate account with full work history, education, languages (explicitly indicate French and English levels for Montreal-based roles), eligibility to work in the applicable country, and any security-sensitive requirements for Defense roles. Montreal corporate roles will ask specifically about French proficiency because Quebec's Bill 96 reinforces French as the working language of the workplace.
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3
Upload a tailored resume in PDF or Word
Upload a tailored resume in PDF or Word. SuccessFactors parses structured fields from the resume, but the parse is mediocre with dense engineering content, so review the extracted experience blocks and correct any misparses before submitting. You can apply to multiple postings from the same profile without re-uploading the resume each time.
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4
Initial screening is handled by Bombardier Talent Acquisition in the relevant re
Initial screening is handled by Bombardier Talent Acquisition in the relevant region (Montreal TA for Canadian roles, Wichita TA for Learjet site roles, Belfast TA for UK roles, Queretaro TA for Mexican roles). Expect an initial response within one to three weeks for active roles, with fewer replies when hiring freezes hit specific functions.
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5
First interview is typically a 30 to 45 minute phone or Microsoft Teams screen w
First interview is typically a 30 to 45 minute phone or Microsoft Teams screen with the recruiter covering background, compensation expectations, work authorization, language proficiency, travel willingness, and motivation for business aviation specifically. For roles involving customer travel to operators in the Middle East or Asia, expect questions about passport validity and willingness to travel on short notice.
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6
Technical interviews follow with the hiring manager and two to five team members
Technical interviews follow with the hiring manager and two to five team members. Engineering candidates should expect in-depth discussion of prior projects, relevant standards (FAR 25, CS-25, DO-178C for avionics software, DO-254 for airborne electronic hardware, ARP4754A for systems development, ARP4761 for safety assessment, AS9100 quality), and hands-on problem solving tied to the role. Manufacturing and operations candidates face a mix of process, lean, and people-leadership questions with behavioral probes about union-environment experience.
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7
A site visit or virtual panel covers team fit and cross-functional alignment wit
A site visit or virtual panel covers team fit and cross-functional alignment with engineering, manufacturing, quality, customer support, and program management. Montreal Mirabel and Saint-Laurent panels often include a walk-through of the final assembly line or delivery center when practical.
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Offers flow from the local TA team with a compensation package including base, v
Offers flow from the local TA team with a compensation package including base, variable (short-term incentive plan), Deferred Share Unit or Restricted Share Unit grants for manager and above levels, and Canadian, US, Mexican, or UK benefits depending on site. Offers are contingent on reference checks, background verification, and for some roles on export compliance and controlled goods program clearance in Canada (CGP) or ITAR/EAR acknowledgment in the US.
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9
Pre-start paperwork includes ethics and code of conduct acknowledgment, anti-bri
Pre-start paperwork includes ethics and code of conduct acknowledgment, anti-bribery training, export control attestations, and controlled goods program acknowledgment where applicable. Canadian engineering roles involving defense technology or export-controlled data require Controlled Goods Program registration through Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Resume Tips for Bombardier
State work authorization clearly for the applicable site
State work authorization clearly for the applicable site. Montreal roles require Canadian work authorization (citizen, permanent resident, or valid open work permit). Wichita roles require US work authorization. Belfast roles require UK right to work. Queretaro roles require Mexican work authorization. Bombardier does sponsor some specialized engineering roles for relocation to Canada but sponsorship is limited and usually reserved for hard-to-fill senior positions.
For Montreal and Quebec sites, indicate French and English proficiency explicitl
For Montreal and Quebec sites, indicate French and English proficiency explicitly. Bombardier is a bilingual workplace at the Montreal HQ, and Quebec's Bill 96 language legislation has increased the practical emphasis on French in corporate communications, meetings, and documentation. Recruiters filter aggressively on French proficiency for Montreal-based manager and director roles. If your French is conversational or weak, be honest rather than inflating it, because it will be tested.
Lead with business aviation and aerospace credentials
Lead with business aviation and aerospace credentials. Business jet experience is not the same as commercial aviation experience, and hiring managers value candidates who understand the OEM-operator dynamics, completion centers, cabin interiors, avionics integration for corporate operators, and the service-network realities of a fleet spread across global high-net-worth and corporate owners. Prior work at Gulfstream, Dassault Falcon, Embraer Executive Jets, Pilatus, Textron Aviation (Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker), Honda Aircraft, or in a major business aviation completion center is directly relevant and should be highlighted.
Quantify aerospace technical experience with platforms, standards, and certifica
Quantify aerospace technical experience with platforms, standards, and certifications. List aircraft you have worked on (Challenger 300/350/3500, Challenger 600/601/604/605/650, Global 5000/6000/6500/7500/8000, Learjet 40/45/60/70/75), type certification bases (FAR 25, CS-25, TCCA equivalent), software standards (DO-178C Levels A through D, DO-254, DO-330 for tool qualification, DO-160G for environmental), systems standards (ARP4754A, ARP4761, AS9100), and CAD/PLM tools (CATIA V5/V6, 3DEXPERIENCE, ENOVIA, Siemens NX, Teamcenter).
For manufacturing and operations roles, emphasize lean, Six Sigma, AS9100 qualit
For manufacturing and operations roles, emphasize lean, Six Sigma, AS9100 quality system, takt time management, and experience in unionized environments. Unifor at Quebec sites and IAM at Wichita are part of daily life for operations leaders, and candidates with demonstrated ability to manage collective bargaining relationships, grievance processes, and union-side negotiations have a significant advantage.
Call out customer services and aftermarket experience where applicable
Call out customer services and aftermarket experience where applicable. Bombardier has an explicit strategic focus on scaling its Services business across mobile response teams, regional service centers, line maintenance, parts logistics, and Smart Services digital offerings. Prior work in MRO, FBO operations, or business aviation aftermarket (including at competitor service networks or independent MROs like Duncan Aviation, West Star, Jet Aviation, Standard Aero, Dassault Falcon Jet Service Centers) translates directly.
Highlight defense and special-mission experience if you have it
Highlight defense and special-mission experience if you have it. Bombardier Defense is a growth pillar selling militarized Global 6500 (multi-mission aircraft including the German Pegasus ISR program and the Canadian CMMA maritime patrol program) and special-mission Challenger variants. Experience with defense contracting (DID standards, MIL-STD documentation, Controlled Goods Program, ITAR/EAR, TEMPEST, ISR mission systems integration) is a clear differentiator for the Defense segment.
Match keywords from the job description honestly
Match keywords from the job description honestly. SuccessFactors relies heavily on keyword overlap for recruiter screening, and specific terms like completion center, cabin management system, fly-by-wire, laminar flow wing, engine nacelle, Pratt and Whitney PW800, Rolls-Royce Pearl, thrust reverser, composite fuselage, CATIA, CAPP, or program gate review should appear where truthful.
Keep it concise
Keep it concise. Two pages for engineers with under fifteen years of experience, three pages maximum for senior staff, directors, or program managers. Bombardier recruiters expect dense, relevant, technical content rather than marketing-heavy narratives.
ATS System: SuccessFactors
Interview Culture
What Bombardier Looks For
- Business aviation domain fluency. The strongest candidates understand the OEM-operator dynamics, completion and delivery centers, fractional and charter operator economics, and the aftermarket and service network realities of a global fleet. Commercial-aviation-only backgrounds are not disqualifying but require a clear translation story.
- Bilingual capability in Montreal. French and English both matter at the HQ, and recent Quebec legislation has reinforced the practical emphasis on French in meetings, documentation, and management. Functional French is a significant advantage for manager and director roles.
- Platform and standards depth. Engineers who can speak credibly about FAR 25, CS-25, DO-178C, DO-254, ARP4754A, AS9100, and the specific quirks of Challenger and Global family systems stand out in technical panels.
- Execution and cost discipline mindset. The Eric Martel turnaround put free cash flow, margin, and deleveraging at the center of management attention, and candidates who can point to delivered cost-out, schedule-recovery, or working-capital improvements are valued across every function.
- Union-environment leadership. Operations leaders who can constructively partner with Unifor in Quebec and IAM in Wichita without either capitulating or antagonizing are in short supply and high demand.
- Services and aftermarket orientation. Bombardier is explicitly scaling its Services business as a higher-margin, counter-cyclical growth pillar, and candidates with MRO, FBO, parts logistics, digital services, or customer-facing technical support experience fit directly into the priority investment areas.
- Defense and special-mission experience for the Bombardier Defense segment. ISR integration, mission-system electrical and thermal design, controlled goods program compliance, and government-customer program management skills translate directly into the special-mission platform work.
- Stability and depth over job-hopping. Business aviation programs run on multi-year certification and production cycles, and a resume showing several years on a single platform or program is read as a positive signal rather than a stagnation flag.
- Clear communication and documentation. Engineering deliverables, manufacturing work instructions, and customer service bulletins all live in formal documents reviewed by regulators, operators, and internal quality, and candidates who can write cleanly and present to non-engineering stakeholders consistently outperform peers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bombardier still a train and commercial aircraft company?
What aircraft does Bombardier currently make?
Do I need to speak French to work at Bombardier Montreal?
What ATS does Bombardier use and how do I apply?
How has the Eric Martel turnaround changed the company?
What is the union situation at Bombardier?
What about the Toronto Downsview site closure?
How does Bombardier compensate compared to Gulfstream, Dassault, and Embraer?
What is Bombardier Defense and is it growing?
How long does Bombardier's hiring process take?
Open Positions
Bombardier currently has 39 open positions.
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Sources
- Bombardier Careers Portal —
- Bombardier Completes Sale of Commercial Aircraft Program to Airbus —
- Alstom Completes Acquisition of Bombardier Transportation —
- Bombardier Announces Plan to Focus on Global and Challenger Brands; Ends Learjet Production —
- Bombardier Unveils Global 8000, the Fastest and Longest Range Purpose-Built Business Jet —
- Bombardier Names Eric Martel President and CEO —
- Bombardier Defense Overview —
- Quebec Bill 96 Language Legislation Overview —
- Unifor Aerospace Sector Representation —
- Controlled Goods Program - Public Services and Procurement Canada —