Description
Job Overview
As Head of Flight Test Management / Senior Flight Test Manager, you will lead and steer the entire flight test programme from early development test campaigns to operational customer acceptance. You are the strategic and operational manager for all test flight activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Joint Leadership & Governance: Build, scale, and lead Helsing's Flight Test Management Organization while operationally steering the growing flight test team in close partnership with our subsidiary Grob Aircraft.
- Process Standardization & Safety: Standardize and enforce rigorous flight testing processes for UAVs and mission systems.
- Campaigns, Ranges & Deployment: Coordinate flight test campaigns and budgets across multiple air programmes.
- End-User & Contractual Alignment: Manage contractually committed flight test milestones and represent status, readiness, and deliverables in customer steering boards.
- OT&E & TaaS Development: Integrate Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) concepts into the test programme.
- Schedule Ownership & AOG Reduction: Own the flight test schedule and manage aircraft availability, modifications, and maintenance downtime.
Requirements
- Proven track record (minimum 6 years' of relevant experience) in coordinating flight test campaigns or comparable engineering test programmes in defence, aerospace industry or related sectors.
- Leadership experience of a flight test or similar multi-disciplinary team.
- University degree (or equivalent experience) in any subject relevant to these sectors.
- Fluent in German and English, in writing and in person.
- High performer who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
- Collaborative, humble, and a problem-solver.
- Willing to travel regularly.
Nice to Have
- Military operational background.
- Previous experience with aircraft maintenance.
- Previous experience with logistics of military goods.
- Fluent in Spanish.
Benefits
- Competitive salary and VSOP options.
- Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation.
- Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance.
- Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support.
- Social: regularly company events and monthly social allowances.
- Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.
- Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work.