Director Minerva Frontline (All Genders)
Level inferred from job title
Job description
Director Minerva Frontline is the holistic Program Owner and external face of STARK's customer-facing software and mission control suite, leading Command & Control Applications, Ground Control Stations, and Simulation departments. The role reports to the VP of Software and sets the product roadmap internally while representing capabilities to military stakeholders and procurement agencies across NATO nations.
At a glance
- Work mode
- Remote · Berlin, Germany, Munich
- Languages
- English – fluent
What you'll do
- Own the end-to-end Minerva Frontline program, taking full accountability for its strategic roadmap, program budget, commercial targets, and cross-functional delivery across all three product lines
- Lead, mentor, and empower three direct reports and scale the broader multi-disciplinary organization across Berlin and Munich in these teams
- Define and communicate a compelling product vision internally, aligning engineering and UX teams around operator needs so that software, ground station hardware, and simulation environments feel like one seamless system
- Serve as the primary external representative for Minerva Frontline, pitching and demonstrating C2, GCS, and simulation capabilities to military end-users, defence ministries, and procurement bodies (e.g., BAAINBw)
- Drive seamless system interoperability, ensuring Minerva Frontline connects effortlessly with STARK's physical unmanned platforms, third-party assets, and sovereign Battle Management Systems
- Translate complex battlefield and customer requirements into structured, actionable engineering priorities, balancing rapid prototyping with mission-critical reliability and safety
- Establish and scale a lean Program Management Office (PMO) over time to professionalize program tracking, release planning, and cross-entity alignment
- Collaborate closely with Commercial, Marketing, and Physical Platform Leads to shape go-to-market materials, pricing models, and integrated system demonstrations at test ranges and customer sites
What we're looking for
- Proven senior leadership and program ownership experience managing complex, multi-team software or cyber-physical product organizations, including responsibility for roadmaps, budgets, and delivery
- Strong technical background in building mission-critical software suites, ideally combining software engineering leadership with hardware-in-the-loop, robotics, C2 systems, or ground control interfaces
- Credibility and domain expertise in the defence or aerospace sector, with the ability to speak at eye level with military decision-makers, operators, and technical engineers alike
- Exceptional internal and external communication skills — able to inspire engineering teams with a crisp vision and persuasively represent complex technical products to B2G (Business-to-Government) customers
- High organizational rigor and an owner's mindset, capable of turning startup ambiguity into clear structure and driving execution under high tempo
- Willingness to travel regularly between our hubs in Berlin and Munich as well as to customer sites, military bases, and test ranges across Europe
- Fluency in English (written and spoken) is mandatory
- Eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance required for this position
Nice to have
- Prior military service (e.g., former officer or reservist in the Bundeswehr or a NATO allied force), particularly within IT, Cyber, C2, or Air Defence domains
- Fluency in German, enabling seamless direct engagement with German defence stakeholders and procurement authorities
- An established network within the European defence ecosystem, military procurement agencies, or the NATO technology community
- Experience with tactical Battle Management Systems (BMS), military simulation environments, or unmanned systems (UxV) operations
Your team
Minerva Frontline
STARK's organization owning the entire human-machine interface and operator experience on the ground, bringing together three specialized product pillars — Minerva Frontend Applications, Ground Control Stations (GCS), and Mission Simulation — distributed across Berlin and Munich.
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About Stark
We forge the future of European and national security through cutting-edge, AI-driven technology and unmatched engineering precision.
Stark is a defence technology company combining elite engineering talent with agile technology and an AI-native operational culture to turn complex defence challenges into field-tested, multi-domain solutions.
Mission
To equip NATO Allies and their partners with next-generation autonomous defence platforms and advanced AI-driven software built to perform in the world's most demanding environments.
Key facts
- Berlin, Germany
- Defence technology
- Works on autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, and secure cyber platforms
- Minerva is STARK's overarching Mission Operating System connecting all unmanned platforms across air, land, and sea
- Minerva Frontline is distributed across Berlin and Munich
What they value
- Relentless innovation
- Fast-paced, collaborative environment
- Mission-first mindset
- High autonomy