Senior Flight Test Engineer

The role

You will take ownership of military flight test programmes from concept and safety planning through to execution and reporting. You will bridge advanced AI-enabled systems and live military aircraft to prove mission systems, sensors, and weapon integrations perform as intended.

What you will do

• Take accountability for flight test programmes including planning, risk assessment, and safety case development
• Design and conduct military ground and flight test campaigns including international live-fire exercises
• Author and validate ground procedures and flight test cards for military systems
• Lead on-aircraft ground testing to verify integration integrity and safety standards
• Collaborate with engineering teams, test pilots, and the Lead Flight Test Engineer
• Act as L-FTE in the air where qualified

Required qualifications

• Career in flight testing of fast-jet or advanced military aircraft
• Substantive hands-on programme experience across the full test lifecycle
• Deep expertise across complex military systems including weapon integration, mission systems, military sensors (Radar, EO/IR, EW), tactical data links, and air-to-air and air-to-surface weapon systems
• Experience planning, leading, and delivering complex, multi-stakeholder flight test campaigns in international or live-fire environments
• Ability to communicate with clarity and precision across engineering, flight crew, and senior military stakeholder audiences

Nice to have

• Graduated as a Flight Test Engineer or Test Pilot from an internationally recognised Test Pilot School
• Hold an EASA Lead Flight Test Engineer (L-FTE) Category 1 qualification
• Worked within or alongside European armed forces or NATO partner organisations on integrated flight test programm

Benefits

• Competitive salary and VSOP options
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance
• Gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health)
• Regular company events and monthly social allowances
• 22 weeks fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers
• 6 weeks fully paid parental leave for secondary caregivers
• 5 days of paid family emergency leave
• 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work
• Hands-on onboarding program

About the company

Helsing is a defence AI company with a mission to protect democracies. They aim to achieve technological leadership so open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions.