Chief Engineer for Military Satellite Communications program (M/F)

Job Description

Airbus Defence and Space is looking for a Chief Engineer within the frame of the Concept-Copernic Military Satellite Communications program.

You will join the “Chief Engineering” entity from Connected Intelligence engineering organisation.

This position is located in Airbus Defence and Space premises in Toulouse. Business travels are to be expected between the Paris area and key operational sites in France, and exceptionally in Europe.

Mandatory Requirements

This position requires a security clearance or eligibility for clearance by recognised authorities. You must be a French citizen, and the role requires a security clearance from recognised authorities as per IGI 1300 of August 9, 2021 (§1.2.2.1).

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Oversee the technical coherence, compliance, and performance of the solution.
• Collaboration with Centres of Competence (CoC): Identify and engage CoCs to provide technical solutions, knowledge, or services.
• Requirement Analysis: Gather and understand customer requirements, program requirements, and applicable obligations.
• Concept and Structure Definition: In collaboration with CoCs, define the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and Product Breakdown Structure (PBS).
• Integration of Structures: Ensure links between PBS, Functional Breakdown Structure (FBS), Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), and allocate contract requirements.
• Technical Decision-Making: Evaluate and decide on trade-offs, including technical, cost, value, manufacturing, service, and risks.
• Safety and Reliability: Ensure product safety, security, and reliability requirements are met.
• Technical Reviews: Conduct technical reviews throughout the product lifecycle and within individual technical solutions provided by CoCs.
• Accreditation and Certification: Manage and achieve product accreditation/certification where necessary.
• Process Optimization: Tailor processes, methods, and tools in collaboration with Quality project management.
• Workload Planning: Ensure workload planning and competency needs align with CoC capabilities.
• Cost Management: Drive down cost of non‑quality by addressing major non‑conformances and quality escapes.
• Change Management: Manage changes through impact analysis, decision‑making, and cascading to CoCs.
• Risk Management: Identify, assess, and manage risks and opportunities, and allocate their impact to CoCs.

Qualifications

Holder of an Engineering degree with at least 15 years of professional experience during which the following skills were acquired:

• System Engineering: Proven expertise in System Engineering practices throughout the project lifecycle, including standards, traceability, architecture frameworks, modeling, and simulation.
• Methodologies: Practical application of both V-model and Agile frameworks (Certification is a plus).
• Technical Background: Strong technical background in (Mil)SatCom, Satellite Modems, and IP Network communications.
• ICTs and Architecture: Appetite for new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and architecture of engineering services.
• Project Management: Practical knowledge of project management principles, respecting Quality, Time, and Cost constraints.
• Public Procurement: Familiarity with public procurement contracts.
• Operational Needs Analysis: Strong ability to listen and analyse operational needs and requirements.
• Decision‑Making: Balanced ability to make trade‑offs and take strong, controversial positions when necessary.
• Team Collaboration: Capability to work with multidisciplinary, multicultural, and multi‑site teams.
• Negotiation and Communication: Excellent editorial and interpersonal skills for negotiation, with a good level of communication.
• Key Qualities: Discretion, leadership, team spirit, rigor, organisational skills and diplomacy.
• Language Skills: Negotiation level in English and French.

Working Environment

Toulouse, the global capital of aeronautics and European centre for space research, offers a dynamic city life combined with outdoor activities. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and close to the Pyrenees mountains, it is served by an international airport.

Benefits

• Financial rewards: Attractive salary, agreements on success and profit sharing schemes, employee savings plan abounded by Airbus, and employee stock purchase plan on a voluntary basis.
• Work‑Life Balance: Extra days‑off for special occasions, holiday transfer option, staff council offering many social, cultural and sport activities and other services.
• Wellbeing – Health: Complementary health insurance coverage (disability, invalidity, death). Depending on the site: health services centre, concierge services, gym, carpooling application.
• Individual development: Great upskilling opportunities and development prospects with unlimited access to +10,000 e‑learning courses to develop your employability, certifications, expert career path, accelerated development programmes, national and international mobility.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief. We are committed to equal opportunities for all. Any request for monetary exchange during the recruitment process will be reported and will not be accepted.

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly, and foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.