Head of Engineering Capability

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 You will be joining Vertical Aerospace as Head of Customer - Defence, leading our commercial approach for defence opportunities focused primarily on the UK, Europe, NATO and allied nations. You will be accountable for defining and executing the strategy to secure government support, funding and defence partnerships that help progress our hybrid aircraft ambitions and shape our defence offering. What you'll do * Lead Vertical Aerospace’s defence sales activity, building and executing a commercial strategy focused on UK, European, NATO and allied nation opportunities. * Secure government support and funding to advance our hybrid aircraft roadmap, including opportunities linked to defence innovation programmes and operational demonstration activity. * Develop compelling defence value propositions and campaign plans that position our aircraft and related technologies against relevant mission needs. * Build and maintain senior relationships across ministries of defence, armed forces, procurement bodies, innovation organisations and defence stakeholders. * Identify, assess and pursue opportunities to place Vertical on relevant defence programmes, demonstrations and future programmes of record. * Establish and grow the partnership ecosystem needed to bring a defence solution to market, including engagement with defence primes, mission system providers, autonomy partners and propulsion-related collaborators. * Help shape the defence product direction by translating market and operator needs into clear commercial input for internal teams. * Work cross-functionally with engineering, procurement, programme, strategy and leadership teams to support bids, proposals and externally funded opportunities. * Provide clear insight on market priorities, competitor positioning and route-to-market options to guide Vertical’s defence growth. * Explore adjacent commercial opportunities for powertrain and technology-related sales where Vertical’s capabilities may have defence relevance. * Represent Vertical Aerospace credibly in external defence forums, customer discussions and partner engagements. * Build the foundations of Vertical’s defence commercial capability as a highly self-directed leader operating effectively in a lean, fast-moving environment. What you'll bring * Strong leadership experience in defence sales, business development or strategic partnerships, with a track record of winning and shaping complex opportunities. * Proven experience selling into or working with UK MOD, European defence organisations, NATO-aligned customers or allied government stakeholders. * A well-established professional network and the credibility to open doors, build trust and navigate defence buying environments at senior levels. * Experience developing pitches, submissions, bids or funding cases for defence innovation programmes, operational demonstrations or longer-term capability programmes. * Good understanding of how to position air platforms, advanced aviation, UAV, drone, helicopter or adjacent aerospace capabilities for defence use cases. * Ability to work independently and resourcefully, with the judgement to prioritise opportunities and drive momentum without relying on a large team. * Experience building effective partnerships across a complex ecosystem, including defence primes, technology providers and industrial collaborators. * Commercial acumen combined with the ability to translate customer and market needs into clear product and business recommendations. * Confidence working cross-functionally with technical and engineering teams to shape credible external propositions. * Strong communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills in high-stakes, evolving environments. * International outlook with experience operating across non-US defence markets, particularly in the UK and Europe. * Relevant commercial, engineering, aerospace or defence background through degree-level study or equivalent industry 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.

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 As a Senior Systems Integration Engineer, you will take ownership of how the EPU is physically integrated into the aircraft, ensuring it performs safely, efficiently, and reliably throughout its lifecycle. Reporting into the Head of EPU, you will work at the centre of the aircraft architecture, collaborating closely with structures, stress, manufacturing, maintenance, and supplier teams. You will balance competing priorities - from managing complex interfaces and configurations to reducing mass and ensuring structural integrity - while supporting certification activities. This role offers the opportunity to shape a critical system that carries primary load paths within the aircraft, with direct impact on safety, performance, and delivery. What You’ll Do * Own the physical integration of the Electric Propulsion Unit (EPU) into the aircraft, ensuring safe, efficient, and certifiable installation * Define and manage EPU space allocation within the aircraft digital mock-up, maintaining alignment as the design evolves * Deliver 3D CAD models and installation drawings to support design, manufacturing, and certification * Establish and control physical interfaces through clear interface definitions and documentation, aligning with internal teams and external suppliers * Translate integration needs into structured, verifiable requirements and lead their validation * Drive mass reduction across the EPU installation while maintaining structural integrity and safety margins * Manage EPU configurations and ensure consistency across design, analysis, and build * Work with stress and fatigue specialists to ensure the structure and interfaces meet lifetime load requirements * Define verification approaches and support test activities to demonstrate compliance with certification requirements * Contribute to certification activities, including documentation and engagement with regulatory authorities What You’ll Bring * A degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Automotive Engineering, or equivalent experience * Experience integrating electro-mechanical systems or complex powertrain systems in aerospace, automotive, marine, rail or similar context * Confidence working across interacting and aligning with multiple disciplines and functions to deliver an optimised integration solution * Experience defining physical interfaces, writing clear and structured requirements, and validating them effectively * Understanding of aerospace materials, mechanical fastening, and structural design principles * Understanding of mechanical loads and how stress and fatigue considerations influence design * Experience using CAD tools such as CATIA to integrate components and produce installation drawings * Strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate with internal teams, suppliers, and external partners * Good organisational skills and the ability to manage detailed work in a fast-paced environment * Familiarity with configuration management and version control Nice to Have * Experience supporting structural or mechanical testing activities * Exposure to stress or fatigue analysis in an aerospace environment * Understanding of electric propulsion systems, including motors, inverters, and control principles * Experience working with high-voltage systems * Experience across the full product lifecycle, from concept through to production and in-service support * Familiarity with requirements management tools such as DOORS or JAMA * Experience using data analysis tools such as MATLAB or Python 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.