Chief Design Engineer

Our client, operating in the aerospace sector, is currently seeking a Chief Design Engineer to join their team on a permanent basis. This role carries the internal Chief Designer badge and is aimed at providing senior aerospace design authority for the flagship stratospheric UAS programme, while also supporting other ongoing and future customer programmes and internal productisation avenues.

• Lead or heavily contribute to airframe and platform design for the flagship stratospheric UAS programme
• Support aircraft configuration, layout, structures, mass properties, performance, and integration decisions
• Contribute to other customer programmes and internal productisation routes where aerospace design input is needed
• Work closely with technical teams across avionics, flight control, operations, software, productisation, and test
• Provide senior design judgement during trade studies, design reviews, and technical decisions
• Own or contribute to CAD, drawings, design rationale, configuration records, and engineering release packs
• Support design‑for‑manufacture, maintainability, operations, and field support
• Help resolve design issues during build, integration, ground test, and flight test

• Strong aerospace engineering background
• Experience designing aircraft, UAS, UAVs, air vehicles, or similar aerospace systems
• Strong mechanical, structural, aerodynamic, and integration judgement
• Experience with CAD, drawings, design documentation, and configuration control
• Understanding of mass properties, airframe integration, manufacturing constraints, and system integration
• Hands‑on engineering mindset
• Flexibility to help shape team processes and engineering culture during a growth/facilities transition

• Experience with fixed‑wing, VTOL, hybrid UAS, HAPS, or stratospheric platforms
• Knowledge of lightweight structures, composites, advanced manufacturing, and rapid prototyping
• Understanding of aerodynamic analysis, performance modelling, flight‑test support, or flight data interpretation
• Use of advanced simulation and optimisation tools
• Familiarity with aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, or regulated design environments
• Experience in building design processes, review discipline, and engineering standards in a growing team

• Permanent role within a leading aerospace company
• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge aerospace projects
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Supportive and collaborative work environment
• Comprehensive employee benefits package

If you are a seasoned aerospace engineer with a passion for design and innovation, we would love to hear from you. Apply now to join our client's dynamic and talented team.