Job Description

Volantes Technical Recruitment are seeking a Head of Systems Engineering and MBSE for an exciting greenfield eVTOL opportunity here in the UAE.

 

Purpose of the Role 

You will own the systems engineering backbone that integrates both programme streams — the aircraft and the sovereign mission system. The MBSE model is the single source of architecture truth. The requirements baseline is the single source of requirements truth. The traceability chain from concept of operations through system requirements, architecture allocation, verification planning, and certification evidence is your responsibility. You will manage a team of System Architects, MBSE Engineers, Requirements Engineers, and Systems Engineers, and you will remain hands-on in the model yourself. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own the SysML model across both programme streams: define the model architecture framework, package structure, naming conventions, stereotypes, and baselining process. 

• Own the requirements baseline: ensure all requirements are authored to quality standards, attributed to source, allocated to architecture, and traceable through verification to evidence. 

• Maintain end-to-end traceability per ARP4754B: from concept of operations through user requirements, system requirements, subsystem requirements, verification methods, and certification evidence. 

• Manage the SE/MBSE team including System Architects, MBSE Engineers, Requirements Engineers, and Systems Engineers — setting priorities, reviewing output, and developing capability. 

• Own the integration between the MBSE toolchain and the requirements management system, ensuring bi-directional traceability is maintained and auditable. 

• Generate interface control documents from the SysML model for all inter-subsystem and cross-capability interfaces, ensuring model-generated ICDs are the single authoritative source. 

• Support both Chief Engineers with architecture modelling, trade study support, and impact analysis when architecture changes are proposed. 

First 90-Day Deliverables 

• MBSE toolchain fully operational: modelling tool installed and configured, collaboration server running, requirements management tool deployed, integration between the two tested and verified. 

• Level 1 (Operational) model populated: system context diagram, stakeholder model, concept of operations, and mission use cases modelled for both streams. 

• Requirements baseline initiated: user requirements document structure created, first requirements authored and traced to stakeholder needs, traceability architecture defined. 

• Compliance matrix structure created jointly with the Head of Safety and Certification, with traceability links to the requirements baseline established. 

Required Experience — Must Have 

• 15+ years systems engineering with hands-on MBSE on at least one certified aerospace programme — not just oversight, but personally building and maintaining SysML models. 

• Proficiency in SysML modelling tools at practitioner level: you can build block definition diagrams, internal block diagrams, activity diagrams, and state machines. 

• Requirements management tool proficiency: you have managed baselines of 1,000+ requirements with traceability, change control, and compliance mapping. 

• ARP4754B development assurance process: you have applied the standard on a certified programme, not just read it. 

• Team leadership while remaining hands-on: you can manage 7-13 engineers and still personally contribute to model architecture decisions. 

Required Experience — Preferred 

• Cross-domain modelling experience: aircraft systems and ground-based C2/network in one integrated architecture model. 

• OSLC integration experience between modelling and requirements management tools. 

• Experience standing up an MBSE capability from scratch in an organisation that did not previously have one. 

Key Competencies 

• Model architecture design: ability to define a metamodel, viewpoint structure, and package organisation that scales as the programme grows from concept through detailed design. 

• Requirements engineering rigour: every requirement is testable, traceable, and necessary — you reject ambiguous, untestable, or orphaned requirements systematically. 

• Cross-domain systems thinking: ability to model both aircraft systems and sovereign network/C2 systems in one coherent architecture without artificial boundaries. 

• Integration discipline: the traceability chain from CONOPS to evidence is maintained continuously, not assembled retroactively before reviews. 

• Teaching ability: you can bring domain engineers who are new to MBSE to productive contribution within weeks, not months. 

Success Metrics (12 Months) 

• MBSE model accepted by both programme streams as the single source of architecture truth — no shadow documents or competing architecture descriptions. 

• Requirements traceability coverage reaches 80%+ by system requirements review, 95%+ by preliminary design review. 

• Zero orphan requirements in any baselined release — every requirement traced to source and allocated to architecture. 

• All interface control documents generated from the model, not manually authored — model is the authoritative source.