Head of Flight Test Management / Senior Flight Test M​anager

Who we are
Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.
As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.
We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.
As Head of Flight Test Management / Senior Flight Test M​anager Air, you will lead and steer the entire flight test programme from early development test campaigns to operational customer acceptance. You are the strategical and operational manager for all test flight activities. You establish structures, manage budgets and timelines, unblock operational as well as technical-logistical bottlenecks, and orchestrate cross-organizational collaboration. You bring the requisite technical and flight operations foundation to assess risks and technical challenges with authority, but your primary day-to-day focus is on leadership, negotiation, governance, and stakeholder management. In this role, you will lead the flight test organization and closely work alongside Chief Engineering, the Programme team and the technical logistical organization. Customer and partner management to coordinate contracts, requirements and availability of flight test aircraft belongs to your daily responsibility.
The day-to-day
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. Align roles, crew assignments, and equipment, and establish clear cross-company governance, escalation paths, and decision-making frameworks.
Process Standardization & Safety: Standardize and enforce rigorous flight testing processes (from Test Requests, Test Cards, and Readiness Reviews to standardized reporting) for UAVs and mission systems, including supporting certification processes and regulatory requirements.
Campaigns, Ranges & Deployment: Coordinate flight test campaigns and budgets across multiple air programmes — including range selection, contracting, liaison, and approvals for national/international military test ranges and segregated airspaces (ED-Rs). Direct end-to-end domestic and international UAV deployments (ground control stations, telemetry, emergency response, spares, personnel, and DOB regulations).
End-User & Contractual Alignment: Manage contractually committed flight test milestones, representing status, readiness, and deliverables in (customer) steering boards. Coordinate strategically with military command structures to align tests with operational defense requirements.
OT&E & TaaS Development: Integrate Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) concepts into the test programme, translating operational doctrines (CONOPS) into realistic test scenarios to ensure military fit. Establish initial Training as a Service (TaaS) concepts for operators and lay the foundation for a dedicated TaaS organization.
Schedule Ownership & AOG Reduction: Own the flight test schedule and manage aircraft availability, modifications, and maintenance downtime across competing programmes, giving internal stakeholders, partners, and customers one clear view of planned tests, dependencies, and risks. Interface closely with engineering, maintenance, service, and programme management to reduce AOG to an absolute minimum.
You should apply if you
Have a 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
Bring leadership experience of a flight test or similar multi-disciplinary team
Represent an organisation credibly with customers, partners and suppliers, handling contractual and operational conversations without close supervision
Communicate fluently in German and English, in writing and in person, with technical and non-technical audiences alike
Have a university degree (or equivalent experience) in any subject relevant to these sectors, including but not limited to mechanical, industrial or aerospace engineering
Are a high performer who thrives in a fast-paced environment
Are collaborative, humble and a problem-solver
Are willing to travel regularly
Are ready to meet all necessary requirements for a security clearance according to the respective national laws
Nice to have
Military operational background: Significant prior military experience within the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr—preferably Luftwaffe, Army Aviation, or Naval Aviation) or allied armed forces (e.g., Flight Test Manager within an military operational testing and evaluation organization, Operational Pilot, Weapon Systems Officer, or Military Program Manager).
Previous experience with aircraft maintenance
Previous experience with logistics of military goods
Fluent in Spanish
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.
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