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

Helsing· Market
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Munichfull-timePosted today

About the role

Lead and steer Helsing’s flight test programme from early development to operational customer acceptance. Strategic and operational manager for all test flight activities, responsible for structures, budgets, timelines, risk assessment, governance, and stakeholder management across cross-organizational teams and with customers and partners.

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. 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.

Qualifications

  • 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

Skills

Required:Flight Test ManagementContract Negotiation & Stakeholder ManagementRegulatory & Certification KnowledgeGerman & English Communication

Benefits

  • Competitive salary
  • 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 (Nilo.health)
  • 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
Last updated Oct 27, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Helsing

Helsing | Artificial intelligence to protect our democracies

AI for electronic warfareAI-enabled precision mass and autonomous systemsAutonomous air dominanceMass defence manufacturingRecce strike softwareUnderwater autonomous massliquid-ai-recruiting-target
Company profileWebsite

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