Test Operations Lead

Join the Test Team based in Kemble as a Test Operations Lead and help us to achieve our mission of pioneering electric aviation.

What success will look like for you, as a Test Operations Lead?

As a Test Operations Lead you will serve as the main focal for our Vertical Test Facility located in Kemble and you will be the lead for the Propulsion Test Team, that deliver rigs and test activities within the Test Facility. 

You will work closely with the Integrated Labs Team Lead within the Test organisation to ensure a consistency between the “physical” and “digital” activities and will be responsible for the determination of safety provisions required for rig build and operations, whilst being a role model of the company’s safety-first culture.

As part of your role, you will identify and manage site works (electrical, building, etc) with various stakeholders and contractors and will be responsible for creating and ensuring the team follow standard processes and procedures, crucially as the company moves towards certification. You will also become the site’s Responsible Person which will involve Risk Assessment review and signoff.

You will manage the Propulsion Test Team, delivering new rigs and executing test campaigns providing critical data for various internal engineering customers. You will have line management responsibilities for a small multi-skilled team, you’ll report to the Head of Test and be a key member of the test team, supporting the continued development of our in-house expertise, specialist knowledge and capabilities.

What would we like you to bring.

We want you to be successful in your role, in order to achieve this, you will need to have a demonstrable track record of team leadership and setting up/maintaining a similar engineering facility as well as experience managing risky (test) operations and of running tests on complex hardware, applying ALARP principles and agreeing mitigation methods.

Additionally, you will need some knowledge of Project and Programme management, with stakeholder management being an important part of the role and you will be comfortable working with an ambiguity in requirements, we’re working on new technology in a new mode of transportation, so this is all part of the challenge.

Some of the desirable skills are experience overseeing installation, maintenance and operation of High Voltage and Hydraulic infrastructure and previous exposure to working with electric motors, high power grid and DC systems. Knowledge of creating and enforcing Quality Management Systems and familiarity with ISO9001/17025 are also ideal but not essential requirements.