Head of Flight Test

Job description

Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers. What to Expect The Head of Flight Test (HoFT) is the technical and organisational leader of the Flight Test function at Vertical Aerospace. Reporting to the VP Prototype Programmes and Flight Test , the HoFT is accountable for all matters relating to flight test activity except pilotage. The HoFT and the Chief Test Pilot are jointly responsible for the safe execution of flight test operations as described in the Flight Test Operations Manual (FTOM) This is a senior, regulator-visible leadership role responsible for ensuring that all flight test activity is: - Technically sound - Properly governed - Safely conducted - Within Permit to Fly conditions - Aligned with certification and programme objectives The Head of Flight Test defines the strategy, structure and technical integrity of flight testing, delegating day-to-day sortie execution to Test Directors, Lead Flight Test Engineers and Test Pilots. What You’ll Do Flight Test Strategy & Programme Leadership - Define and own the overall flight test strategy across all aircraft programmes. - Establish envelope expansion philosophy and incremental build-up methodology. - Align test objectives with aircraft maturity, system readiness and safety case status. - Approve programme-level test plans and major phase transitions (e.g. First Flight, envelope expansion, certification phases). - Ensure traceability from certification requirements through to test plans, flight execution and reporting. - Ensure flight test outputs are robust, defensible and suitable for certification substantiation. Governance, Safety & Risk Ownership - Ensure hazards are identified, assessed, mitigated and accepted at the correct organisational level. - Oversee Test Readiness Reviews and major flight test authorisations. - Ensure ALARP justification for medium and high-risk activities. - Act as technical arbiter for non-real-time disputes relating to flight test conduct or progression. - Escalate safety matters to the Head of Design Organisation and executive leadership as required. - Promote and maintain a strong just safety culture within the flight test team. Operational Oversight - Plan and maintain long-term flight test capability, staffing and facilities. - Ensure adequate telemetry, instrumentation, analysis and support infrastructure. - Approve Flight Test Orders jointly with the Chief Test Pilot (or via delegated authority). - Oversee sortie-level planning through Lead Flight Test Engineers and Test Directors. - Ensure emergency response readiness for all test locations. - Coordinate post-mission data reviews and anomaly resolution. Regulatory & Airworthiness Interface - Ensure flight test activity remains within DOA Scope of Approval. - Liaise with the Head of Airworthiness on Permit to Fly conditions and limitations. - Ensure harmonisation between Flight Test and Airworthiness procedures. - Represent the flight test function in regulatory engagements, audits and reviews. - Ensure compliance with Part 21 Subpart J and relevant UK CAA guidance. Data & Technical Integrity - Own the integrity of the flight test data lifecycle. - Ensure configuration control, traceability and data quality standards. - Ensure flight test results are correctly interpreted and not over-claimed. - Ensure results are usable for certification compliance demonstration. People & Organisational Leadership - Lead and develop the Flight Test Engineering organisation. - Establish qualification and training requirements for non-pilot crew. - Authorise Lead Flight Test Engineers and propose Test Director designations. - Review and document competence of contracted flight test personnel. - Develop succession planning within the flight test team. - Foster disciplined briefings, adherence to knock-off criteria and clear authority boundaries. Key Deliverables and Objectives: The Head of Flight Test will be accountable for: - Safely delivering the agreed flight test programme across all active and future aircraft, including envelope expansion and certification test activity. - Achieving planned flight test tempo and milestone progression in support of certification and aircraft maturity targets. - Maintaining an exemplary safety record and robust flight test risk management framework. - Establishing a high-performing, scalable Flight Test organisation with clear ownership of test planning, execution, and data traceability. - Ensuring strong regulatory alignment and delivery of compliant flight test evidence to support certification. What You’ll Bring Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Science or related discipline. - Graduate of a recognised Test Pilot School (1-year Experimental / Category 1 course – fixed or rotary wing),or exceptionally, equivalent experimental flight test experience. Experience Essential: - Extensive experimental and/or developmental flight test experience. - Strong Experience leading multidisciplinary flight test teams. - Experience in envelope expansion programmes. - Strong understanding of flight test risk management and safety case integration. - Experience operating under Permit to Fly conditions. - Experience within a regulated Design Organisation (Part 21 environment or equivalent). Desirable: - Graduate of a long-course flight test engineering course from a major test pilot school - Experience with novel aircraft configurations (e.g., tilt-rotor, powered-lift, distributed propulsion, fly-by-wire eVTOL) desirable. - Experience supporting certification flight test program - Experience engaging with aviation regulators. - Telemetry and flight test instrumentation oversight experience. What can you expect from us? We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career. Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal. Our benefits Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials. - 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday - 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell) - 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership - Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits - Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand) - Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance - Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee - Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it - Breakfast on us, every day We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility. Disclaimer Statement We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.