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# Chief Design Engineer

- **Company:** Matchtech
- **Location:** UK
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Computer-Aided Design, Data Analysis, Configuration Management, Rapid Prototyping Process, Systems Integration, Modeling and Simulation
- **Published:** July 9, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.totaljobs.com/job/chief-design-engineer/matchtech-mobility-job107661127

## About the Role

* Strong aerospace engineering background
 * Experience designing aircraft, UAS, UAVs, air vehicles, or similar aerospace systems
 * Strong mechanical, structural, aerodynamic, and integration judgement
 * Experience with CAD, drawings, design documentation, and configuration control
 * Understanding of mass properties, airframe integration, manufacturing constraints, and system integration
 * Hands-on engineering mindset
 * Flexibility to help shape team processes and engineering culture during a growth/facilities transition

Desirable Experience:

 * Experience with fixed-wing, VTOL, hybrid UAS, HAPS, or stratospheric platforms
 * Knowledge of lightweight structures, composites, advanced manufacturing, and rapid prototyping
 * Understanding of aerodynamic analysis, performance modelling, flight-test support, or flight data interpretation
 * Use of advanced simulation and optimisation tools
 * Familiarity with aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, or regulated design environments
 * Experience in building design processes, review discipline, and engineering standards in a growing team

## Description

* Lead or heavily contribute to airframe and platform design for the flagship stratospheric UAS programme
 * Support aircraft configuration, layout, structures, mass properties, performance, and integration decisions
 * Contribute to other customer programmes and internal productisation routes where aerospace design input is needed
 * Work closely with technical teams across avionics, flight control, operations, software, productisation, and test
 * Provide senior design judgement during trade studies, design reviews, and technical decisions
 * Own or contribute to CAD, drawings, design rationale, configuration records, and engineering release packs
 * Support design-for-manufacture, maintainability, operations, and field support
 * Help resolve design issues during build, integration, ground test, and flight test


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