Head of Propulsion

Role:Head of PropulsionLocation: Dubai, UAEWorking Arrangement: Office-BasedSalary: Competitive tax-free salary + relocation + healthcareThis is an opportunity for an experienced propulsion or powertrain leader to build and lead the propulsion function for a greenfield aerospace programme in Dubai. Our client is developing a next-generation aerospace platform, with the founding engineering team now being assembled to take the aircraft from concept through testing and into production.This is a leadership role, but not one where you step away from engineering. During the early phase of the programme, you'll lead the team while staying close enough to the technical detail to challenge the work, assess powertrain solutions and identify engineering risks before they become delivery problems.The opportunityAs Head of Propulsion, you'll own how the propulsion domain delivers. Working in partnership with the Chief Engineer - Propulsion, you'll take responsibility for the team, delivery plan, budget, test capability and supplier performance. The Chief Engineer holds technical authority, while you'll ensure the work is properly planned, resourced and delivered.What you'll be doingBuild and lead the propulsion team, including recruiting and developing Principal and Senior specialists across electric drives and propulsor engineering.Own the propulsion delivery plan, including scope, sequencing, estimates, resources and integration into the wider programme schedule.Develop the powertrain test capability, including dynamometer and drive testing, propulsor testing, instrumentation and safe high-voltage and high-power test environments.Stay hands-on with the engineering, with the technical depth to size drives and challenge engineering work when required.Manage supplier delivery across motors, inverters and propulsors, including long-lead commitments and recovery when suppliers fall behind.Own the propulsion budget, estimates and investment required for test facilities.Manage critical interfaces with Flight Control, Battery & Energy Storage, Electrical, Structures and Industrialisation.Ensure safe execution across propulsion test and build environments.Report delivery risks openly and escalate issues early enough for the programme to recover them.What you'll bring12+ years' experience in propulsion, electric drives or powertrain engineering, including at least 5 years in airborne or equivalent safety-critical applications.Experience delivering a propulsion or powertrain development through to real hardware and a completed rig or ground test campaign, with accountability for the plan and schedule.Experience leading and recruiting technical engineering teams.Experience establishing or significantly expanding powertrain or drive test capability, including facilities, instrumentation and test safety.Strong hands-on powertrain architecture knowledge, with the ability to assess and challenge engineering decisions on their technical merits.Experience managing suppliers of long-lead technical components, including recovering underperforming deliveries.Experience with programme planning, estimating and cost ownership.The ability to work effectively alongside a separate technical authority, balancing delivery requirements with engineering decisions.Experience in eVTOL, electric or hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion would be highly valuable, alongside experience in greenfield programmes, building engineering teams or facilities from scratch, and supporting the transition from prototype through to production.Why this role?You'll join at a point where the propulsion organisation is still being built, allowing you to shape the team, establish the test capability, manage key suppliers and turn the powertrain into real, tested hardware.If you've led propulsion or powertrain development, delivered real hardware through testing, built engineering capability and still have the technical depth to stay close to the work, we'd love to hear from you.