34 Cost and Value Engineer

Job description

**Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability** At **Hypersonica**, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast. By joining **Hypersonica**, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously. We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence. ### What you'll do - Responsible for target costing, driving cost/weight trade-off studies for product & production, and should costing purposes: drive real-time design-to-cost and design-to-value trade-offs within Hypersonica's rapid, iterative development cycles - Build and maintain product cost models, creating transparency on cost structures and key drivers across materials, manufacturing, assembly, and test - Act as the critical interface between commercial/finance and engineering, ensuring cost is embedded in every decision from early concept through to flight-ready hardware - Lead make-vs-buy analyses as the company scales toward manufacturing, and model the cost implications of Hypersonica's modular architecture, including variant management and upgrade paths - Support the supply chain management team to exchange with key suppliers and be part of the tendering process - Develop affordability and life-cycle cost models tailored to European defence procurement frameworks, supporting Hypersonica's mission to make hypersonic capability accessible across NATO - Support the programme team in preparing competitive offers and cost estimations ### Who you are - Experience: 5+ years in cost and value engineering in a defence or aerospace context - Outstanding analytical capabilities - Education: Degree in industrial, manufacturing, mechanical, or design engineering (or equivalent) - Technical depth: Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and cost drivers for advanced metals (including high-temperature alloys), composites, thermal protection systems, propulsion components, and electronics/semiconductors - Methods & tools: Experience with should-cost modelling, parametric estimation, or simulation-based cost engineering - Defence context: Familiarity with European defence procurement and export control regimes (e.g. ITAR/EAR) is a strong plus - Mindset: Entrepreneurial, hands-on, and comfortable with ambiguity ready to build this function from scratch in a fast-moving startup where you'll operate autonomously and wear multiple hats ### What we offer - A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security. - Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow. - High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes. - A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions. - A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly. - Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy.