(Senior) Programme Associate

Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability

At Hypersonica , we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.

By joining Hypersonica , you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.

We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.

• Support the day-to-day delivery of defence programmes and major workstreams, helping to maintain momentum across schedules, priorities, and execution.
• Translate customer requirements, contractual inputs, and complex information into clear plans, milestones, presentations, and actionable next steps.
• Work directly with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders, supporting meetings, programme reviews, workshops, and delivery discussions.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, operations, business development, and external suppliers to keep programmes moving at pace.
• Track progress, risks, actions, and dependencies, identifying issues early and helping drive them through to resolution.
• Conduct structured analysis to support programme, commercial, and strategic decisions.
• Support commercial and programme activities, including delivery planning, customer reporting, change control, and the preparation of proposals.
• Prepare clear, concise programme materials that enable fast, high-quality decision-making.
• Take ownership of defined workstreams and increasingly complex responsibilities as you develop in the role.
• Learn by doing, operating close to real customers, real technology, real constraints, and real delivery pressure.

• An ambitious early-career professional with at least 1–2 years of experience in management consulting, DefTech, aerospace, a technology start-up, or another demanding and high-paced environment.
• Experienced in breaking down complex or ambiguous problems, structuring your thinking, and turning analysis into practical action.
• Comfortable operating between analysis and execution; you do not want a role confined to producing slides, reports, or recommendations.
• Fluent or native-level in German and fluent in English, with the confidence to operate in bilingual, cross-cultural settings.
• A strong communicator who can produce clear, concise, and well-structured written materials.
• Highly organised, dependable, and able to manage several priorities without losing attention to detail.
• Comfortable interacting with senior stakeholders, customers, technical teams, and external partners.
• Curious about how complex programmes succeed commercially, technically, and organisationally.
• Motivated by responsibility, rapid progression, and visible impact rather than narrow task ownership or rigid hierarchies.
• Energised by working in a small, fast-moving team where expectations are high and learning is accelerated.
• Interested in defence, advanced technology, and contributing to European sovereign capability.
• A background in strategy, operations, engineering, technology, public policy, international relations, or a similarly relevant discipline would be valuable. A finance background is not required.

• A mission-driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.
• Daily collaboration with leading experts across engineering, operations, business development, and defence, with genuine opportunities to learn, contribute, and grow.
• Exposure to the full lifecycle of complex defence programmes, from customer requirements and commercial strategy through to engineering delivery and flight testing.
• High ownership and autonomy: no time tracking and no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.
• A fast-paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly and feedback from testing and flight drives real decisions.
• A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.
• Competitive compensation and real share options aligned with responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy.

At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply.

Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential.

You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.