Airbus UpNext - Project Manager Officer (m/f)

Job Description:

At Airbus UpNext , we fly future technologies at speeds well beyond what seems feasible today. We're looking for passionate individuals to join a new demonstrator project that will shape the future of autonomous flight, enabling safe operations of UAS (Uncrewed Aerial Systems) in the most challenging operational contexts and paving the way for effective collaboration between crewed and uncrewed aircraft in complex missions. 

This project will focus on the integration and testing of emerging airborne technologies that will enable UAS to fly their missions with a high degree of autonomy in challenging conditions. Advanced hardware and software architectures will be explored to facilitate the deployment of such technologies in both rotary wing and fixed wing UAS platforms with the highest degree of commonality and reuse.

As part of a fast-paced, agile team, you will leverage the latest advances in airborne sensors, data connectivity, embedded computing and software algorithms, to develop an architecture for assured autonomy that can be deployable across different UAS platforms. Your mission will be to enable UAS to intelligently react to unforeseen situations and adverse external conditions, so as to preserve the integrity of the flight and achieve its  operational objectives. This capability will enable complex missions involving crewed aircraft and UAS operating in a coordinated manner, with the UAS autonomously adapting to unplanned events and unexpected changes in the external conditions, e.g., such as in aerial firefighting or complex search and rescue operations. 

If you have a burning desire to make an impact and want to work in a startup-like environment backed by the strength of Airbus, this is your opportunity to help us enable uncrewed aircraft to fly the most challenging missions anytime, anywhere.  

The Technical Director  (M/F) position is within Airbus UpNext and it consists of a fixed-term contract of 3 years ( linked to the delivrable of the demonstrartor), starting ASAP till end of October, 2028

Mission

As the demonstrator's Project Management Officer, you will be the right hand to the Head of Demonstrator, ensuring the project runs smoothly and meets its ambitious goals. You will be at the heart of it, driving its operational rhythm and ensuring performance is tracked and managed effectively.

Your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Project Planning and Performance Management:

  • Define the appropriate project management approach (agile/waterfall/hybrid) depending on the project phase and set up and manage the necessary project management tools.

  • Formalize, maintain, and oversee the execution of the master Project Management Plan (PMP), which will detail the project's scope, master schedule, and budget. 

  • Support the Head of Demonstrator in managing the project’s performance against the PMP and its Time, Cost and Quality (TCQ) objectives.

  • Monitor the project’s financial performance, tracking the Forecasted Cost at Completion against the established budget while producing required reports for coordination and alignment with UpNext at central level.

  • Track the master schedule against the ambitious timeline, monitoring progress towards key milestones like PDR, CDR, etc. 

• Procurement, External Funding

  • Manage the tendering processes, contract negotiations and supply chain logistics for the project on coordination with the UpNext contracts management team.

  • Oversee all contractual relationships with internal partners, external suppliers and research partners. This includes defining statements of work, monitoring performance, and ensuring that partner deliverables are integrated seamlessly into the project plan.

  • Support and manage public funding activities, including pursuing opportunities with Spanish and EU R&T funding programs.

•  Intellectual Property and Export Control Compliance

  • Manage the project’s Intellectual Property (IP) with the support of the UpNext contracts management team and in coordination with the corresponding Airbus IP focals, ensuring needed IP protection clauses are included in commercial agreements. 

  • Manage the projects’ export control aspects  to ensure full compliance, anticipating any risks and licensings needs in coordination with the support of the corresponding Airbus Export Control focal. 

• Governance, Risk & Opportunities 

  • Prepare and coordinate all materials for governance meetings, including the regular Stop&Go reviews with the steering committee and project’s sponsors.

  • Actively manage the project’s risk and opportunity register, ensuring that risks are mitigated, opportunities captured and the corresponding actions are assigned and followed up to completion.

• Stakeholder Management

  • Support the management of key stakeholders, including internal customers, corporate leadership, external partners and funding agencies, in order to ensure continuous alignment and clear communications. 

  • Set up and run the project's steering committee with representatives of the key internal stakeholders, to ensure that the project's goals and project remain aligned with their needs and expectations. 

• Team and Operational Support:

  • Serve as a key interface within the multi-functional project team, helping to define internal processes and establish a collaborative environment.

  • Contribute to foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture. Conduct regular team meetings, report progress to senior management, and ensure clear and consistent communication flows within the team and to external stakeholders.

  • Ensure project learnings, operational procedures and other relevant key deliverables are properly collected and documented in preparation for knowledge dissemination and the final results handover to Airbus.

Your boarding pass

What you bring:

• Demonstrated seniority in project management, with strong command of monitoring and controlling project budget and schedule. Project Management Certificate would be a plus.

• Strong financial acumen with hands-on experience in contract management, tendering processes and supplier relations.

• Proven ability to manage project risks and opportunities, coupled with excellent stakeholder communication and reporting skills.

• Exposure to public funding application and management process, ideally in the Research & Technology (R&T) field.

• An agile and proactive mindset, with the autonomy to take initiative and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, demanding, startup-like environment.

• Eagerness to take initiatives to propose simpler and efficient ways of working. Impatience and burning desire to attain rapidly, along with a healthy skepticism for progress.

• Strong English communication skills. Spanish would be a valuable asset.

• Well-built professional network including industrial players, research institutes, government agencies and regulators.

• Values of transparency, humility & empathy. Autonomy, adaptability, availability & accountability.

• Readiness to step out of your comfort zone. Team player mindset and willingness to have fun.

What you get:

• Pivotal Role in a Strategic Mission: play a key part in a project at the forefront of the development of technology to enable autonomous UAS flight and open the way for complex crewed-uncrewed collaborative missions. 

• Build Something that last: Your work will create high-value results 💎 and learning contribution for Airbus’s future. 

• Develop Critical Competences: Acquire and develop a sound background in flight autonomy systems and technologies, a field essential for the future of aerospace. This experience can provide a unique career development opportunity within Airbus.

• Work on the Edge of Technology: Explore disruptive technologies at their limits, deepening your knowledge of advanced airborne hardware and software to enable safe and resilient autonomous flight. 

• Agile and Empowering Environment: Thrive in a work culture that empowers you to act and think like a start-up while being supported by the strong expertise of Airbus. 💪🏻 We value an eagerness to take initiative and propose efficient ways of working.

• A Great Team and Culture: Be part of a high-achieving, experienced and fun team in a shared open-space office with highly skilled colleagues. We are guided by the “Care for Each Other” value.

• Flexibility & Fun: Enjoy the ability to craft your calendar 🗓️ with flexible hours and the opportunity to work remotely, alongside regular UpNext community bonding events. And yes, we have complimentary freshly ground coffee ☕ and beverages 🧃 

• The responsibilities and the technical scope of the job might evolve according to the agile working environment of the project, so being flexible is important.

About us

Founded in 2017, Airbus UpNext focuses on flying future technologies at speeds well beyond what seems feasible today. In doing so, it is actively shaping the future of the aerospace industry.

Designed as a talent incubator, Airbus UpNext is a place where you can act and think like a startup while building on the strong expertise of Airbus, a place where you are empowered to test & challenge new processes and ways of working. 

Airbus UpNext’s demonstrators evaluate, mature and validate potential new products and services that encompass radical technological breakthroughs. It has three flagships locations in France, Germany and Spain, to rapidly develop and test future technologies in scaled applications.

Our mission is:

• To identify the trends that could disrupt the future of the aerospace industry and evaluate them to demonstrate their potential as a viable product.

• To accelerate traditional research cycles and prototype development to achieve proof of concept in a real environment and at a convincing scale and speed.

• To develop real-world applications for emerging aerospace technologies, thereby driving their maturity and increasing their value.

• To be THE reference for Technology Value Assessment
   

Our Values: #Keep it Simple #Be Audacious #Exploring Together

Our DNA: #Speed of Execution, #Caring for Each Other, #Open to the World

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company:

Airbus UpNext S.L.

Employment Type:

Permanent

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Experience Level:

Professional

Job Family:

Programme & Project Management

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