> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/4017118-weapon-system-product-lead](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/4017118-weapon-system-product-lead). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Weapon System Product Lead - **Company:** Hypersonica - **Location:** United Kingdom - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Integrated Development Environments, Time Tracking Software, Management of Software Versions, SC Clearance - **Published:** October 30, 2026 - **Apply:** https://startup.jobs/weapon-system-product-lead-hypersonica-10615497 ## About the Role * You have five or more years' experience leading the development and evolution of complex hardware products or systems, ideally in defence, aerospace, or a similarly demanding environment. * An understanding of the full product lifecycle, from requirements and design through integration, test, production, in-service support, and product improvement. * A technically credible with engineering teams and can turn complex technical detail into clear product priorities, decisions, and trade-offs. * Experience managing product baselines, variants, configuration, and the impact of engineering changes in a controlled development environment. * You understand how safety, reliability, maintainability, producibility, supportability, and cost shape a successful product, not just its technical performance. * Experience leading effectively across disciplines, creating alignment without needing formal authority over every contributor. * Comfortable taking ownership in ambiguity, making considered decisions with incomplete information, and escalating issues where the decision or risk exceeds your authority. * You bring a pragmatic, hands-on approach, building only the structure needed to keep the product moving, and continuously improving ways of working rather than working problems. * British citizenship is required due to the security requirements of the role. You must be eligible to obtain and maintain the required UK security clearance. ## Description 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. What you'll do * Own the product direction and lifecycle coherence of one of our weapon systems currently in development, ensuring it evolves into a capable, reliable, producible, maintainable, and supportable product. * Build and maintain the product roadmap, translating operational needs, technical maturity, test evidence, and business priorities into clear capability spirals, releases, and product decisions. * Act as the product authority across engineering, manufacturing, test & safety, quality, programmes, and ILS, ensuring a shared understanding of the product, its intended use, and its next priorities. * Own the product baseline, variants, versioning, and configuration intent, ensuring that engineering changes are assessed before adoption. * Set clear product priorities and trade-offs with engineering, balancing capability, safety, reliability, cost, schedule, maturity, production, and through-life sustainability. * Engage with relevant customer and operator stakeholders to validate priorities and usage requirements. * Use evidence from integration, test, production, maintenance, and operator feedback to shape the next development spirals and focus investment on the changes that create the greatest product and operational value. * Ensure reliability, maintainability, producibility, supportability, transportability, and safety from the outset. Work closely with the ILS organisation, retaining ownership of the resulting product trade-offs and evolution. * Establish lean product-management structures and decision routines where needed, keeping the product moving without adding process for its own sake. * Make sound decisions under real technical and delivery ambiguity, recognise when a decision requires wider expertise or escalation, and step into unowned product problems rather than waiting for assignment., * 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.