Flight Test Manager

Who we are

The role

The day-to-day

• Develop, recruit, and empower a multidisciplinary team of deployed engineers and pilots, fostering professional growth and achieving team objectives

• Devise, implement and manage comprehensive flight test plans, addressing the demand from the engineering organisation across the product spectrum

• Manage the budget, resources, and scheduling for flight test campaigns, optimizing efficiency and ensuring timely completion

• Oversee the safe and efficient execution of all flight test operations, including detailed flight preparations, test procedures, and risk management

• Establish and manage supplier relationships; including facilities/airfields, service providers, instrumentation, software and component suppliers

• Ensure strict adherence to regulatory requirements, industry standards, and internal safety protocols throughout all flight test activities

• Deliver tests quickly, efficiently and safely: breaking down barriers and working together with cross-functional teams to overcome obstacles

• Deliver high quality flight test data, reports, findings and recommendations to stakeholders and senior leadership

• Implement the processes, methods, tools and manuals required to deliver the testing and associated lifecycle data.

You should apply if you

• Have at least 10 years’ experience in test operations, with a proven track record in a leadership or management role

• Hold a degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, physics, computer science, or another engineering discipline that provides a strong technical understanding of complex topics 

• Possess in-depth knowledge of the required regulatory, quality and safety standards for flight testing

• Ideally have graduated from a recognised Flight Test Engineering organisation 

• Demonstrate strong leadership, project management, and organisational skills, with the ability to manage complex programmes simultaneously

• Possess excellent communication skills and the ability to interface clearly and effectively with both internal and external stakeholders

• Are proficient in analysing complex data and presenting clear, concise findings and recommendations to diverse audiences

• Have experience in establishing the infrastructure, procedures and tools required to deliver successful flight testing

• Thrive in a fast-paced environment and are passionate about leading teams to achieve ambitious objectives while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields 

• Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

• The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

• Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

• In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

• We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer

• A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking

• Competitive compensation and stock options

• Relocation support

• Social and education allowances

• Regular company events and all-hands to bring together employees as one team across Europe

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.