Principal Systems Engineer

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior engineering professional to provide technical leadership across the full Systems Engineering lifecycle, supporting the delivery of complex, security-critical programmes and working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

The Opportunity

As Principal Systems Engineer, you’ll lead Systems Engineering activities across complex projects and work packages, providing technical direction across systems, hardware, software and firmware.

You’ll play a key role in developing and assuring requirements, architectures, designs and technical documentation, while supporting design reviews, stakeholder engagement and technical risk management.

This is a senior position requiring strong Systems Engineering expertise, confident technical leadership and the ability to mentor and develop other engineers.

Key Responsibilities

You’ll play a central role in delivering complex engineering programmes by:

• Leading Systems Engineering activities across projects and work packages.

• Developing and assuring requirements, architectures, designs and Systems Engineering artefacts.

• Providing technical direction across systems, hardware, software and firmware.

• Leading technical and design reviews.

• Supporting customer and supplier engagement.

• Contributing to bids, proposals, estimates and technical risk management.

• Mentoring and developing Systems Engineers.

• Supporting the continued development of the organisation’s wider engineering capability.

• Ensuring Systems Engineering activities align with relevant standards and programme requirements.

You’ll be an experienced Systems Engineer with significant knowledge of the full engineering lifecycle and the confidence to lead technical activity across complex, multidisciplinary programmes.

You will also have:

• Significant Systems Engineering experience across the full lifecycle and V-model.

• A strong understanding of ISO, IEC and IEEE Systems Engineering standards, including ISO 15288.

• Proven experience in requirements engineering, systems design and technical documentation.

• Experience leading Systems Engineering activities or managing Systems Engineering teams.

• Practical experience with DOORS, UML, Enterprise Architect and SysML.

• A background in hardware, software or firmware development, ideally within an embedded environment.

• A degree in Engineering, Mathematics or Physics, or equivalent relevant industry experience.

• Strong technical leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.

• The ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

• INCOSE ASEP or CSEP accreditation, NCSC experience or recognised subject-matter expertise would be advantageous.

Additional Requirements

• You must be eligible for SC clearance and willing and able to obtain and maintain DV clearance.

• You must be willing to travel within the UK when required.

• A clean driving licence is required.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a senior technical leadership position within the UK Defence sector, contributing to complex and security-critical engineering programmes.

In return, you’ll benefit from:

• A permanent, full-time position.

• A senior role with significant technical influence.

• The opportunity to lead Systems Engineering activity across complex programmes.

• Exposure to multidisciplinary engineering teams and advanced systems environments.

• The opportunity to mentor other engineers and contribute to wider engineering capability.