<h2><strong>Who we are</strong></h2> <div> <p><span data-contrast="auto">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.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">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.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="none">We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers.<span data-contrast="auto"> 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.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></span></p> </div> <p data-renderer-start-pos="3673" data-local-id="914137117382">As Head of Flight Test Management / Senior Flight Test Manager 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.</p> <div class="_3iDTPbvLZJ renderer-heading-wrapper" data-testid="renderer-heading-wrapper" data-level="2"> <h2 id="The-day-to-day" data-local-id="c5a258777297" data-renderer-start-pos="4670"><strong data-renderer-mark="true">The day-to-day</strong></h2> </div> <ul class="ak-ul" data-local-id="4826c425-aeeb-4c90-a314-75b3e9864b73" data-indent-level="1"> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="4688" data-local-id="90e33a69ecee"><strong data-renderer-mark="true">Joint Leadership & Governance:</strong> 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.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="5047" data-local-id="b0ebad11eefd"><strong>Process Standardization & Safety: </strong>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.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="5328" data-local-id="190673cfce7c"><strong>Campaigns, Ranges & Deployment: </strong>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).</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="5745" data-local-id="302e6c69df34"><strong>End-User & Contractual Alignment: </strong>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.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="6029" data-local-id="101f92e5c8a7"><strong data-renderer-mark="true">OT&E & TaaS Development:</strong> 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.</p> </li> <li> <p data-renderer-start-pos="6363" data-local-id="486755d469d4"><strong data-renderer-mark="true">Schedule Ownership & AOG Reduction:</strong> 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.</p> </li> </ul> <div class="_3iDTPbvLZJ renderer-heading-wrapper" data-testid="renderer-heading-wrapper" data-level="2"> <h2 id="You-should-apply-if-you" data-local-id="1dd947cc5b9b" data-renderer-start-pos="6767"><strong data-renderer-mark="t