Fixed - Wing Chief Flying Instructor (FW CFI) (16599)

Job Title:                     Fixed - Wing Chief Flying Instructor (FW CFI)
                                     Fixed - Wing Flying Instructor & Crew Lead for QinetiQ’s ETPS (Empire Test Pilot School) and Approved Training Organisation (ATO)

Location:                     MoD Bosombe Down, Salisbury + Adaptive Working Arrangements

Package:              Highly Competitive Salary + Benefits Package

Role Type:                   Full time / Permanent

Role ID:                       SF16599

Be part of the QinetiQ journey. Join us as a Fixed - Wing Chief Flying Instructor at our MoD Bosombe Down, Salisbury site where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge aviation platforms and many of the industry’s most brilliant minds.

The role

As a Fixed - Wing Chief Flying Instructor , you’ll have the opportunity to develop your career within a role that is out of the ordinary, acting as Chief Fixed – Wing Flying Instructor & Crew Lead for the next cohort of QinetiQ’s Empire Test Pilot School (ETPS) & Approved Training Organisation (ATO).

Day-to-day , you’ll lead as the head of our ETPS & ATO training course for instructional standards; providing high – level mentorship and guidance across the bespoke QinetiQ training requirements.  

• You’ll have creative control to deliver and modernise the ETPS ATO course syllabus, challenging cohorts and acting as Head of training for instructional standards
• You’ll lead in continuous improvement in an incredibly dynamic environment that encourages development
• You’ll get your teeth stuck into all aspects of simulation training, supervising instructors, challenging and supporting the ETPS cohort in all areas of student mentorship
• You’ll work with the QCFO management to allocate the fixed – wing aircrew for a range of tasks internally and externally
• You’ll have ownership of the course, providing remedial training packages, manage student progress and mentor flight safety.

Full – time, permanent opportunity working on the MoD Boscombe Down site with adaptive working arrangements

Essential experience of the Fixed - Wing Chief Flying Instructor

• Proven relevant teaching experience
• Knowledge & experience of civilian flight test and training requirements
• Experience piloting fixed-wing aircraft
• Demonstrated flight Instructor for either civilian or military fixed - wing aircraft (military qualified flight instructor experience highly desirable)
• Demonstrated leadership & stakeholder engagement

Qualifications for the Fixed - Wing Chief Flying Instructor

• Part FCL Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL)
• Cat 1 Flight Test Rating and Flight test Instructor Certificate
• CAA Class One Medical 
• Relevant engineering or science degree
• Instrument Rating (IR)  
• Proven knowledge & ability to implement QCFO flight safety

Please note that all applicants must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.

UKSV National Security Vetting Solution: guidance for applicants - GOV.UK (

Our Benefits

• Adaptive and flexible working
• Generous holiday allowance
• Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more.
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows most employees to buy up to 5 days’ additional leave.
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Payroll Giving and Volunteering - helping charities and local community.

Our volunteering programme enables our people to use their professional skills to make a positive difference in our local communities, for example STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) ambassador days in schools. We support a number of charities that are important to our people, including those which help the defence community.

Why join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

You’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experience enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in an diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture here .  

Joining QinetiQ offers you an opportunity to work on a broad range of interesting defence-based projects with vast career progression across a global organisation in addition to competitive personal and professional benefits.  You’ll receive a highly competitive salary and benefits package: our basic salaries are very attractive as we constantly review what’s happening in the market. The range of benefits that we offer include, adaptive and flexible working, generous holiday entitlements, Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance and much more. 

About QinetiQ

As a company of over 6,000 dedicated professionals, we are a world-centre of excellence in research and development and act as a catalyst for fast-track innovation, offering outstanding experimentation facilities, and technical, engineering and scientific expertise. QinetiQ is made up of dedicated experts in defence, aerospace, security and related markets, all working together to explore new ways of protecting what matters most. Being part of QinetiQ means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help to save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend. Come and find out how you can play a role.

Please note that many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting. Applicants that already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment, subject to approval. A number of roles are also subject to restrictions on access to information that mean factors such as nationality, previous nationalities held and the country in which you were born may have an effect on the roles that you can be employed in.