Head of Satellite AIT | Space Systems & Industrial Operations

Tres Cantos, Madrid

At Morgan Philips , we are partnering with our client Thales Alenia Space , a general leader in the space industry, to recruit a Head of Satellite AIT who will lead the Assembly, Integration and Test department and play a critical role in the successful delivery of advanced satellite programmes.

This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for an experienced space professional with a strong background in satellite AIT/AIV, industrial operations and team management .

The successful candidate will take responsibility for the people, capabilities, facilities and operational performance required to assemble, integrate, verify and test complex satellite systems, ensuring compliance with demanding quality, cost, schedule and technical performance objectives .

The Opportunity

As Head of Satellite AIT , you will lead and develop a highly specialised technical team responsible for the assembly, integration and testing of satellites.

You will oversee the complete AIT lifecycle, from integration planning and operational readiness through functional verification and environmental test campaigns.

Working closely with Engineering, Programme Management, Quality, Product Assurance, Supply Chain, suppliers and external partners , you will ensure that AIT activities are delivered safely, efficiently and in accordance with programme requirements.

The position offers significant visibility across the organisation and direct influence over the industrial performance, technical readiness and delivery of critical space programmes.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership





- Lead, organise and develop the Satellite AIT department.
- Define resource, capability and skills requirements in line with current and future programme needs.
- Allocate resources across projects, balancing operational priorities, workloads and critical milestones.
- Establish clear objectives and performance expectations for the team.
- Develop technical expertise, leadership capabilities and succession plans within the department.
- Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety and continuous improvement.

Satellite AIT Operations

- Oversee satellite assembly, mechanical and electrical integration, functional verification and test activities.
- Lead the planning and execution of environmental test campaigns, including thermal vacuum, vibration, acoustic and electromagnetic compatibility testing, as applicable.
- Ensure operational readiness of teams, procedures, tools, ground support equipment and test facilities.
- Monitor AIT progress, identify critical dependencies and resolve operational or technical constraints.
- Ensure rigorous preparation and execution of integration and test activities in controlled environments.
- Coordinate the management, maintenance and optimisation of AIT facilities and test resources.





Programme Delivery

- Ensure achievement of AIT milestones within agreed quality, cost, schedule and performance targets .
- Align departmental priorities and resources with satellite programme requirements.
- Anticipate capacity constraints, technical risks and schedule conflicts.
- Establish recovery and mitigation plans when deviations arise.
- Provide clear visibility of AIT status, risks, resources and performance to programme and senior management.
- Support delivery reviews, readiness reviews and key programme decision gates.

Technical and Quality Leadership

- Ensure compliance with approved AIT procedures, technical standards and quality requirements.
- Maintain strict configuration control, traceability and documentation throughout the integration and test lifecycle.
- Oversee the identification, investigation and resolution of non-conformances and test anomalies.
- Ensure lessons learned are captured and incorporated into future programmes.
- Promote disciplined problem-solving, root-cause analysis and risk management.
- Guarantee that all AIT activities meet the demanding reliability and product assurance standards of the space industry.

Industrial Performance and Continuous Improvement

- Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement across AIT activities.
- Optimise integration flows, test processes, facilities and resource utilisation.
- Introduce performance indicators to monitor efficiency, quality, schedule adherence and operational capacity.
- Reduce recurring non-conformances, testing inefficie

📌 Head of AIT (España)
🏢 Morgan Philips Group
📍 España