Today, we highlight Derrick Walter, our Talent Acquisition Manager located in Houston, Tx. Derrick and his team are responsible for the new hire recruitment at Airbus U.S. Space and Defense. He also sits on our Human Resources Senior Leadership Team (SLT), which looks at policy updates and process improvement.

Derrick has been with Airbus U.S. Space & Defense for nearly three years and previously served as a Senior Recruitment Consultant. 

Here are five things you need to know from our conversation with Derrick. 

What are you looking forward to in your new role? 

I am looking forward to helping the business streamline its recruiting process in my new role. In my almost three years on the job, we have hired around 300 people. However, as we continue to grow, I want to make the process more efficient for all parties. 

So far, what has been your favorite project you’ve worked on at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense? 

All of them! At the end of the day, it really is the people for me. I’m lucky that most of my job duties and project scope are people-centric. Our team and global support ecosystem embody what it means to be driven to deliver. Anyone paying attention can see that ethos is ingrained into everything we do as an organization. 

What advice would you give someone just starting their career in your field? 

Ask all the questions and pay attention to everything. Perfect the process and protect those who need it most. Speak last until you are asked to speak first. Lead from a mindset of servanthood. Develop your leadership based on the influence of your character and work ethic.  

What is a fun fact that your colleagues may not know about you? 

Thanks to one of my college roommates and high school best friend, I can sing every song from Moulin Rouge from memory—and surprisingly well! 

What is your favorite memory from working here? 
I have so many fond memories, but I’ll share two. First, I started on Valentine’s Day in 2022. February 14, 2022, will always be a vibe. My second favorite memory is a bit embarrassing, but I must share it. On March 9, 2022, I received an email from Airbus US Space & Defense CTO Armen Askijian. He pointed out a typo in my email signature that had obviously been there for almost a month. His email read: “Hey Derrick, minor comment— ‘King Regards’ below—it may be in your automated signature.” [Insert melting face emoji]!