Technical Programme Manager - Air

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.

The role

Helsing is developing a next-generation aircraft, and this role sits at the centre of that effort. As Technical Programme Manager, Air, you will work across the Chief Engineering Team, the Product Team, and Programme Leadership to keep a complex, multi-disciplinary development programme moving with clarity and pace. The scope of the role spans both strategy and delivery: you will shape the processes that give the programme its structure, while also owning the day-to-day coordination that turns plans into outcomes.

A significant part of the role involves building and sustaining the relationships that make delivery possible. Externally, you will develop productive partnerships with a wide range of aerospace industry players. Internally, you will focus on strengthening collaboration between the various technical and non-technical teams. The technical breadth of the programme is considerable, (software development, systems engineering, flight physics, aerodynamics, …) and the role offers meaningful exposure across many disciplines.

The position is based across Munich and Tussenhausen. A minimum of two days per week in Tussenhausen is required.

The day-to-day

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Own the programme rhythm across the Chief Engineering Team, Product Team, and Programme Leadership, running key meetings with rigour and ensuring that decisions are made, recorded, and followed through

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Translate complex engineering requirements and programme priorities into clear, structured delivery plans, maintaining lean and consistent processes across a broad technical scope

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Build and sustain strategic relationships with external aerospace industry partners, creating the conditions for collaboration that directly accelerates aircraft development

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Identify and resolve points of friction across team interface, establishing effective ways of working between the two organisations and ensuring that workstreams produce measurable progress

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Coordinate across multiple engineering disciplines (software development, systems engineering, flight physics, aerodynamics, …), keeping specialist teams aligned on shared programme objectives

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Contribute directly to the design and build of the aircraft, bringing both strategic clarity and hands-on execution to one of Helsing's most consequential programmes

You should apply if you

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Hold a technical degree in aerospace, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or a related field, and have applied that foundation in a consulting, engineering, or technology environment

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Have worked in or closely alongside the aerospace industry and can navigate its technical frameworks, processes, and conventions with confidence

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Have coordinated complex, cross-functional programmes and can point to concrete outcomes that your work directly enabled

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Communicate with clarity in both German and English, adapting your approach for technical, strategic, and senior stakeholder audiences

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Are equally at ease shaping a programme strategy and running disciplined, repeatable delivery processes, and can move fluently between the two

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Are able to commit to a minimum of two days per week in Tussenhausen

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.

Nice to Have

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Familiarity with aerospace certification frameworks, airworthiness standards, or defence acquisition processes

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Experience working across an organisational boundary, for example in a joint venture, consortium programme, or embedded consulting engagement

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Prior exposure to unmanned or novel aircraft development programmes

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields

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Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns

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The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world

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Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward

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In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts

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We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What we offer

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Competitive salary and VSOP options

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Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation

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Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance

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Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health)

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Social: regularly company events and monthly social allowances

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Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.

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Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work

These are the core benefits across all locations, there may be additional benefits in certain locations.

Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here.