Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer at GKN Aerospace

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

We are looking for a Chief Engineer to lead our Landing Gear Engineering team dedicated to the NH90 Helicopter program.

The NH90 Landing Gear Engineering team is composed of experts in Stress, Design, Systems Engineering, Integrated Logistic Support and other engineering disciplines. These specialists collaborate to support the global operating fleet of NH90 helicopters, focusing on design and implementation of modifications and new variant designs.

The Chief Engineer holds several key responsibilities and faces a range of challenges. These include the operational management of the team (between 15-30 FTE’s), holding signatory authority & end responsibility over all technical decision, and effectively managing relationships with customers and stakeholders.

What You Will Do

• Manage development activities from (pre-)concept phase through full-scale development (up to Life Cycle Gate 7), delivering world-class technical solutions aligned with program objectives (Weight, RC, NRC).
• Ensure and maintain product airworthiness in line with certification specifications:
  • Draft and maintain the Certification Plan and PMCC.
  • Perform delegated Office of Airworthiness tasks.
  • Initiate actions based on in-service incidents/accidents.
• Act as primary technical focal point for external customer on major issues.
• Set up and manage the Engineering Project Organisation:
  • Establish and maintain the Project Engineering Plan (PEP).
  • Prepare the Engineering Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Deliver engineering outputs meeting technical, manufacturing, and certification requirements, within schedule and cost.
• Implement cost and schedule control through NRC planning, tracking and Earned Value Management (EVM).
• Support risk management by identifying technical risks and defining mitigation actions.
• Initiate corrective actions for deviations from planned schedule/budget.
• Manage change and scope control; contribute to both internal and customer-side change control boards.
• Provide operational management to the engineering team leads and engineers.
• Manage engineering resource and equipment needs:
  • Timely Indication of Changes in the Requirements affecting Demand in Resources and Equipment;
  • Resolution of overall Resourcing Conflicts between Programs in Conjunction with Functional Heads
• Ensure effective deployment of resources across activities.
• Ensure application of best practices and encourage continuous improvement (incl. Lean initiatives).
  • Organize engineering design reviews (e.g. PDR, CDR), peer reviews, and ensure follow-up.
  • Initiate new/improved best practices and contribute to knowledge sharing and lessons learned.
• Maintain effective communication within the team and with stakeholders.
• Act as liaison with Operations and Procurement for manufacturing strategies, cost targets, supplier quotations.
• Support construction and installation of prototypes and pre-production items internally and at customer sites.
• Support Business Development in identifying new opportunities and building customer relationships.
• Identify work packages for external sourcing and draft Statements of Work (SoW).
• Support Functional Heads with PDP process, including appraisals and career development.

What You Will Bring

• High-level engineering knowledge (TEF Level 5+), across disciplines, with strong aerospace industry expertise.
• Proven ability to balance safety, quality, cost, and schedule in technical leadership.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Direct influence on program cost, recurring pricing, and long-term support.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.

Essential

• Degree in Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent experience/qualification).
• Minimum 10 years’ relevant experience, ideally in aerospace and multi-disciplinary teams (Design/CM, EWIS, Analysis, M&P, Manufacturing).
• Experience managing complex engineering projects or leading technical teams.
• Held internal technical approval authority (Design, EWIS, or Analysis).
• Familiar with related disciplines (Operations, Sales, Procurement, Supplier Management).
• Skilled in project planning, management, and execution using recognized methods.
• Commercially savvy; identifies business opportunities and cost reduction potential.
• Experience delivering and tracking engineering tasks with clarity.
• Strong communication and reporting skills for all levels of the organization.
• Proven ability to build relationships and work in cross-functional teams.
• Comfortable making escalation decisions and prioritizing under pressure.

Desirable

• Experience with Landing Gears and/or transmission systems
• Project management training or certification.
• Experience in international and multicultural team settings.
• Skilled in coaching and developing team members.

Personal Attributes

• Leadership: Leads by example, creates a positive and safe team environment.
• Communication: Clear, proactive, and aligned with goals and expectations.
• Teamwork: Works effectively across diverse and non-hierarchical teams.
• Drive: Passionate about growth, energetic, and continuously learning.
• Execution: Reliable and disciplined; delivers consistent results.
• Judgment: Takes initiative, makes sound decisions even with limited data.
• Entrepreneurship: Seeks new business opportunities; takes calculated risks.
• Strategic Thinking: Understands the big picture; develops forward-looking plans.
• Empowerment: Invests in others' growth through coaching and constructive feedback.

What We Offer

Our organization demonstrates passion for innovation and our employees are rightly proud for what we engineer and build. This is truly a challenging work environment: a role where you contribute as an individual but also as a member of a diverse and international team of experts. At GKN Aerospace, we not only provide you with the tools to perform at the best of your capabilities, but we also support and promote your technical and personal development.

Furthermore, we offer to you:

• A gross monthly salary based on the CLA Metalektro Grade O and in line with your experience and qualifications,
• 8% holiday allowance,
• 42 paid holidays for full-time employment,
• Working conditions according to the CLA Metalektro, including an excellent pension scheme (PME) and travel allowance,
• A pleasant and informal working environment, in which we work together to achieve the best result for our customers in a pleasant atmosphere.

Next to a competitive package, we will offer you a world of opportunities: we want to see your career fly! We will support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That's the beauty of being part of a global business, once you are on board, you never know where your career journey may take you!

Contact: ioanna.dimitriadi@fokker.com

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ​

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