Chief Pilot Defence

Job Description

Chief Pilot Defence

Full Time

Bristol

An outstanding opportunity has arisen within Flight Operations at Rolls-Royce to join the team as the Chief Pilot Defence.

Reporting to the Director of Flight Operations, the Chief Pilot Defence is the Rolls-Royce expert in the operation of all Rolls-Royce Defence products.

As the Chief Pilot Defence you are the focal point for all questions relating to our engines in defence applications.  You’ll be the link between our customers and Rolls-Royce project teams, making sure that the demands of the modern combat platforms are understood and appreciated by our engineers.  You’ll help our designers to shape the next generation of products, putting the needs of the war-fighter front and centre.  With a combat air background, and experience in technical leadership roles, you will be able to communicate to a wide range of stakeholders across defence and engineering.  Specifically, you will be part of the team developing the Global Combat Air Platform (GCAP).  For any pilot with an interest in developing technology and operational capability, this is a uniquely rewarding role.

We will keep you in regular flying practice and look to broaden your flying experience across a wide range of platforms.

What you will be doing

With this unique opportunity you will get the chance to:

• Shape the next generation of defence aerospace engines, including development of GCAP.
• Be the link between Rolls-Royce’s defence customers and our engineering teams.
• As an operational expert, support a wide range of tasks across Flight Operations.  These could range from supporting new technology research in sustainable fuels, assisting in the design of innovative civil aerospace products, or supporting out heritage flight operations.
• Be the first point of contact for all internal and external questions about operating our defence products.

Why Rolls-Royce?

Rolls-Royce is one of the most enduring and iconic brands in the world and has been at the forefront of innovation for over a century. We design, build and service systems that provide critical power to customers where safety and reliability are paramount.

We are proud to be a force for progress, powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere.

We want to ensure that the excellence and ingenuity that has shaped our history continues into our future and we need people like you to come and join us on this journey.

The Flight Operations team in Rolls-Royce provides advice and context on how our products are used in the operational environment, including the defence sphere.

We’ll provide an environment of caring and belonging where you can be yourself. An inclusive, innovative culture that invests in you, gives you access to an incredible breadth and depth of opportunities where you can grow your career and make a difference.

Work with us and we’ll welcome you into a culture of caring and belonging where you can be yourself. We will listen first, embrace feedback and act with integrity. We will invest in your continuous learning and development, and make sure you have access to a wide breadth and depth of opportunities to grow your career and make a difference.

What We Offer

We offer excellent development opportunities, a competitive salary, and exceptional benefits. These include bonus, employee support assistance and employee discounts.

Your needs are as unique as you are. Hybrid working is a way in which our people can balance their time between the office, home, or another remote location.  It’s a locally managed and flexed informal discretionary arrangement.  As a minimum we’re all expected to attend the workplace for collaboration and other specific reasons, on average three days per week.

We offer excellent development, a competitive salary and exceptional benefits. These include bonus, employee support assistance and employee discounts.

Hybrid working is a way in which our people can balance their time between the office, home or another remote location.  It’s a locally managed and flexed informal discretionary arrangement.  As a minimum we’re all expected to attend the workplace for collaboration and other specific reasons, frequency will depend on business needs, nature of role, what works for the team and for the individual. Discover more on our GBS Service Portal about hybrid working.

Who we’re looking for

Being a part of Rolls-Royce you’ll know we put safety first, do the right thing, keep it simple and make a difference.  These principles form our behaviours. They are an essential component of our assessment process and are fundamental qualities that we seek for all roles.

At Rolls-Royce we put safety first, do the right thing, keep it simple and make a difference. These principles form the behaviours that guide us and are an essential component of our assessment process. They are the fundamental qualities that we seek for all roles.

To be successful in this role you will need to have excellent communication, outstanding relationship building and stakeholder management skills and have the following experience and qualifications:

• Essential Requirements

• Desirable Requirements

• Demonstrable evidence of technical interest in aviation (See Note 1)
• Combat Air piloting experience
• Recent 4th or (preferably) 5th generation fighter experience
• Flight Test or Operational Evaluation experience

• Instructional Experience

• Experience in project management or equipment acquisition
• EASA/CAA CPL/ATPL (or willingness to obtain)
• EASA/CAA Class 1 Medical (See Note 2)

Note 1 – There are many career routes that may have provided a candidate with the technical experience for this role.  These include, but are not limited to, experience in flight test, requirements management, engineering, QWI/EWI roles, GD Aero-Systems course.  Candidates without formal qualifications but with strong, demonstrable interest and experience are welcome to apply.

Join us & help Rolls-Royce to become a high-performing, competitive, resilient business.

Please be aware that the priority will be given to employees identified as being at high risk. 

The professional level and the salary of the position will be dependent on the skills and experience of the successful candidate. 

It is advised that you inform your current manager of your application for this role.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We’re committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive working environment. We believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures give us different perspectives. And the more perspectives we have, the more successful we’ll be. By building a culture of respect and appreciation, we give everyone who works here the opportunity to realise their full potential.

Learn more about our global Inclusion Strategy

Grade: Management Level B

Closing Date: 26 September 2025

For further information please contact:  Alison Connaughton (Alison.Connaughton@Rolls-Royce.com)

Job Category

Validation and Verification

Posting Date

16 Sept 2025; 00:09

Posting End Date

26 Sept 2025