Head of Air & Missile Defence

About the Role 

Imagine this. You own what Destinus will put in the air to stop the next generation of threats, from interceptor architecture through to the demonstrator that proves it works. 

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations. 

This role sits in the Future Capabilities organisation of Destinus Germany. You lead the air and missile defence capability line, covering interceptors, counter-UAS and layered defence concepts against the German and NATO threat picture. 

This is a hands-on technical leadership role, and a collaborative one. You spend your time in trade studies, architecture discussions and test campaigns. You develop the concept and you prove it, together with Engineering on realisation, with Commercial on the customer case, and with research and industry partners across Europe. 

What You’ll Do 

• Own the air and missile defence capability line: interceptors, counter-UAS and layered defence concepts. 

• Develop capability theses and system concepts against the German and NATO threat picture, and turn them into requirements the engineering organisation can build against. 

• Lead interceptor and effector architecture work at concept level together with Engineering, including seeker, guidance, propulsion and warhead trade studies. 

• Define demonstrators and test campaigns, and generate the evidence that a concept holds against a real threat. 

• Hold the technical and programmatic interface to BAAINBw, the Bundeswehr air defence community and relevant NATO bodies. 

• Feed the capability view into study contracts, technology programmes and European cooperation frameworks. 

• Build the partner map across research institutes, seeker and propulsion suppliers, and European system houses. 

• Support capture together with Commercial, contributing technical content, threat analysis and concept of employment. 

• Grow and develop a small team of capability owners and concept engineers. 

What You’ll Need 

• Degree in aerospace or electrical engineering, physics, or a comparable technical field. A doctorate is an advantage. 

• Minimum 10 years of experience in guided interceptors, air defence systems, seekers or effector technology. 

• Deep technical grounding in at least one of: seeker and sensor technology, guidance and control, propulsion, or warhead and lethality. 

• Experience taking a concept through trade studies and simulation into a demonstrator and a customer-facing proposal. 

• Working knowledge of German air and missile defence programmes and the BAAINBw process. 

• Recognised standing in the national or European air defence community. Patents or publications are an advantage. 

• Proven ability to deliver in a matrix organisation, working closely with engineering, commercial and programme teams. 

• Aerospace and defence industry experience is mandatory. 

• Fluency in English and German is required. 

Who You Are  

You are an engineer first. You are happiest when a number in a simulation finally matches a number from a test range, and you test your own concepts hard before you present them. You explain an interceptor kill chain to a procurement officer in plain language, and you enjoy pulling specialists from different teams around a problem until it is solved. You are candid with customers about what physics allows. Most importantly, you take ownership of the technical truth and you share it early. 

Destinus is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity in our companies and our teams and do not discriminate based on age, race, religion, color, country of origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status. 

Security screening is an integral component of the selection process. The successful candidate must be willing to undergo a German security clearance under the Security Clearance Act (Sicherheitsueberpruefungsgesetz, SUEG). 

Why Join Us? 

• The Thrill of the Future - work on systems that decide whether European deterrence holds. 

• Global Innovation Hub - collaborate with engineers and operators from across Europe. 

• Fast-Paced & High-Growth - a company that is scaling quickly and gives you room to build. 

• Real Impact - your work will not stay theoretical, it will reach the field.