Propulsion & Powertrain Leader

Rebel Recruiters; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Rebel Recruiters seeks a Head of Propulsion to lead a greenfield aerospace propulsion function in Dubai. This senior role end-to-end owns team, plan, budget, test capability and supplier performance, balancing hands-on depth with leadership across the programme.

You will build and deliver propulsion systems from early development through testing toward production, challenging engineering decisions while aligning with the Chief Engineer and safety standards.

Qualifications

• 12+ years experience in propulsion, electric drives or powertrain engineering.
• 5+ years in airborne or safety-critical applications.
• Proven experience delivering propulsion or powertrain development through to hardware and ground testing.
• Experience owning programme plans, schedules and engineering delivery.
• Proven experience recruiting, building and leading senior technical engineering teams.
• Experience establishing or expanding powertrain or electric drive test capability.
• Knowledge of test facilities, instrumentation, high voltage systems and test safety.
• Strong hands on knowledge of powertrain architecture with the depth to challenge engineering decisions.
• Experience managing suppliers of complex or long lead technical components.
• Experience managing budgets, estimates and engineering investment.
• Strong multidisciplinary stakeholder and interface management skills.
• Ability to work effectively alongside a separate Chief Engineer or technical authority.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the propulsion engineering team and recruit Principal and Senior specialists.
• Own the propulsion delivery plan, including scope, sequencing, estimates and resources.
• Develop powertrain test capability with dynamometer and drive testing.
• Maintain hands-on involvement to assess drive sizing and challenge solutions.
• Manage supplier performance across motors, inverters and propulsors.
• Own propulsion budgets, programme estimates and investment requirements for test facilities.
• Interface with Flight Control, Battery & Energy Storage, Electrical, Structures and Industrialisation.
• Ensure safe execution across propulsion build and test environments.
• Identify, communicate and escalate technical and programme risks.
• Support progression of propulsion systems from prototype development to production.

Skills

Propulsion engineering

Powertrain engineering

Leadership

Test capability development

Supplier management

Budgets & investment

Stakeholder management

Safety critical thinking

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Electrical, Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Dynamometer testing

High voltage testing

Job description

Rebel Recruiters seeks a Head of Propulsion to lead a greenfield aerospace propulsion function in Dubai. This senior role end-to-end owns team, plan, budget, test capability and supplier performance, balancing hands-on depth with leadership across the programme.

You will build and deliver propulsion systems from early development through testing toward production, challenging engineering decisions while aligning with the Chief Engineer and safety standards.