Head of Flight Test Engineering

About the role

The Head of Flight Test Engineering will own the end-to-end flight test organisation, managing pilots, operators, flight test engineers, and operations managers. You will be responsible for building a mature flight test capability in Germany and expanding it into a global organisation with units in the UK, Ukraine, and Greece. This role requires balancing rapid testing schedules with rigorous safety and airworthiness standards.

Responsibilities

• Own the full flight test organisation across four pillars: Pilots & Operators, Flight Test Engineering, Flight Test Operations, and Safety & Compliance.
• Hire and develop pillar leads and establish career ladders and competency standards.
• Define the flight test strategy, envelope-expansion philosophy, and master Flight Test Operations Manual.
• Hold the independent flight test safety function, including hazard analysis and risk acceptance.
• Deliver production-acceptance, developmental, and customer-facing flight campaigns.
• Act as the senior interface to regulatory bodies such as LBA, LufABw, and EASA.

Required skills

• Flight test
• Military aviation
• Aerospace test and evaluation
• UAV operating permits
• Flight test engineering
• Data analysis
• English
• German

Nice to have

• Test pilot school graduate
• UAS flight test
• Loitering-munitions flight test
• eVTOL flight test
• Design Organisation experience
• STANAG 4586
• STANAG 4671

Qualifications

• 12+ years in flight test, military aviation, or aerospace test and evaluation
• NATO member-state citizenship
• Eligibility for German security clearance (Ü2/Ü3)

About the Company

Stark is a premier defence technology company that develops AI-driven autonomous defence platforms and software for NATO Allies and partners. The company fosters a fast-paced, collaborative environment focused on relentless innovation and high-precision engineering.