Electronics Manager (Space / Aerospace)

Electronics Manager (Space / Aerospace)
Location: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand (Open to UK & European candidates willing to relocate)
Employment Type: Full-Time | On-Site
Package: €59,000 – €89,000 + Relocation Support + Benefits

Introduction

A pioneering aerospace organisation in New Zealand is seeking an Electronics Manager to lead a high-impact engineering function responsible for flight electronics on a next-generation spaceplane programme. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced technical leader to influence architecture, guide a talented team, and play a pivotal role in delivering advanced flight hardware. Ideal for senior UK or European engineering leaders ready for a relocation and a career-defining challenge.

The Opportunity

You’ll head up a specialised electronics engineering team working across the full lifecycle of flight hardware-from concept and design, through prototyping, testing, integration, qualification, and delivery. The role blends leadership with deep technical influence: you’ll set standards, define system architecture, grow capability, and work cross-functionally with propulsion, software, structures, certification, operations, and systems engineering.
This position offers broad ownership, direct impact on major vehicle decisions, and the chance to help shape a programme pushing the frontier between aviation and space.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a high-performing team delivering flight electronics from initial concept through to qualification
• Recruit, mentor, and develop engineers, establishing a culture of excellence and innovation
• Define electronics system architecture and ensure scalability for future vehicles
• Collaborate across propulsion, software, airframe, certification, and operations teams to translate mission requirements into qualified hardware
• Oversee schedules, resources, risks, and delivery of flight-ready electronics
• Drive engineering best practices, robust processes, and documentation standards
• Steer technical decision-making on architecture, design approaches, and implementation

Essential Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical, Computer, or Mechatronics Engineering (or equivalent)
• 2+ years of experience leading electronics or flight systems engineering teams
• Proven ability to manage, develop, and motivate high-performing engineers
• Strong electronics fundamentals and systems-level thinking
• Hands-on experience with design, prototyping, or integration of complex hardware
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and align teams
• Experience managing technical schedules, budgets, and engineering delivery

Eligibility

• Open to candidates across the UK and Europe willing to relocate to New Zealand
• Must meet NZ work visa requirements

Application Instructions

For a confidential conversation or to be considered, please send your CV to jake.payne@newspacetechnical.com