About the Company
Our client is a leading European space and aerospace technology group, developing and delivering advanced satellite systems and mission-critical technologies for institutional and commercial customers.
The company is involved in complex European space and Defence programs, where technical excellence, reliability, security, and successful delivery are critical.
For a major program in the field of reconnaissance and early-warning systems, we are looking for an experienced Senior Technical Lead to take technical responsibility at overall system level.
The Role
As Senior Technical Lead, you will take a central technical leadership position within a large-scale and highly complex Defence and space program.
You will provide technical leadership to a multidisciplinary team of System Engineers and act as a key interface between engineering teams, Project Management, customers, and external partners.
Operating within a matrix organisation, you will be responsible for driving the technical direction of the system — from requirements and Systems Engineering processes through technical concepts, design oversight, development, and preparation for the first operational phases.
This position combines deep technical responsibility with leadership, customer interaction, and commercial awareness. You will ensure that technical objectives are achieved while balancing performance, quality, cost, and schedule.
Your Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership to a team of System Engineers with defined responsibilities across the project
- Act as the key interface between engineering, Project Management, the customer, and external partners on technical and organisational topics
- Define system requirements in coordination with Project Management
- Establish the Systems Engineering process and Systems Engineering Plan
- Define the organisation and workflows between technical departments, Systems Engineering teams, and Project Management
- Develop fundamental technical concepts and system solutions together with System Engineers and specialist engineering teams
- Review, evaluate, and steer the ongoing system design and technical development
- Drive technical decisions and support the resolution of complex engineering challenges
- Forecast and monitor technical performance, schedule, and cost
- Organise regular technical checkpoints and review progress against technical, schedule, and budget objectives
- Act as the technical authority for the system in the event of contractual changes and coordinate the implementation of agreed technical modifications
- Ensure the technically correct and timely preparation of the system’s initial operational phases
- Potentially lead technical activities during these first operational phases
- Ensure effective technical communication and knowledge exchange across the project, internal engineering departments, and external partners
Your Profile
- Master’s degree, Diploma, PhD, or comparable qualification in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline
- Approximately 10–15 years of relevant professional experience, although candidates with fewer years may be considered where they have already held significant responsibility on major programs
- Strong experience in Systems Engineering and the technical development of complex integrated systems
- Proven experience providing technical leadership to engineering teams
- Experience delivering complex projects within the space industry, ideally involving satellite systems
- Experience with major Defence programs or similarly complex technical systems can also be highly relevant
- Strong ability to evaluate complex technical challenges and drive decisions across multidisciplinary teams
- Experience working with system requirements, technical concepts, design, and system-level engineering processes
- Strong commercial understanding, particularly regarding budget, schedule, quality, and technical performance
- Ability to balance and prioritise technical requirements against cost and schedule constraints
- Strong customer and stakeholder orientation
- Excellent communication, negotiation, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills
- Proven ability to motivate teams, delegate responsibilities, transfer knowledge, and build effective networks
- Very good German and English skills
Candidates from other major Defence programs are explicitly of interest. Experience leading technically complex programs involving systems such as frigates, helicopters, radar, ISR, or other integrated Defence platforms may compensate for a lack of direct space experience.
What’s Offered
- A senior technical leadership role within a major European Defence and space program
- Technical responsibility at overall system level
- Opportunity to work on complex reconnaissance and early-warning systems
- High level of technical ownership and influence over system architecture, design, and engineering decisions
- Collaboration with experienced Systems Engineers, specialist engineering teams, customers, and external partners
- Potential flexibility above the standard range for exceptional candidates
- Hybrid working model, with approximately 60/40 remote/onsite working possible depending on project requirements
- Location in Bremen or Oberpfaffenhofen
- Exposure to major institutional and Defence customers
- Long-term career opportunities within the European space and aerospace sector
