AI Senior Systems Engineer

Babcock Mission Critical Services España SA.; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor based in Bristol is seeking an AI Senior Systems Engineer. In this key role, you will engage in developing and delivering AI-driven systems, manage technical projects across disciplines, and ensure high-quality standards and assurance processes. Candidates should have solid experience in systems engineering and knowledge of lifecycle management, backed by relevant qualifications. The position offers hybrid working arrangements, allowing flexibility between the office and home.

Benefits

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to a Digital GP

Employee share scheme

Payment of Professional Fees

Holiday Trading benefit

‘Be Kind Day’ for volunteering work

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Experience in leading small teams and projects.
• Background in Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities.
• Solid experience in AI-driven systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage systems engineering activities and deliverables.
• Lead projects from requirements to product acceptance.
• Oversee integration of AI models and algorithms.

Skills

Systems architecture

Research and Development lifecycle management

Cross-domain requirements understanding

Software development lifecycles

Education

HNC/HND or Degree in engineering

Job description

Location: Bristol + Hybrid Working Arrangements

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a AI Senior Systems Engineer at either our Ashton Vale site or the Babcock Technology Centre, both located in Bristol.

The Role

We’re looking for an AI Senior Systems Engineer with extensive experience in developing integrated product with skills across software and hardware who has the gravitas to work within a multi-disciplinary team, and who has a strong interest in, or experience of, designing, assuring, and delivering AI-driven systems.

This role is key to achieving all the Systems Engineer lifecycle with the ability to undertake technical management of internal and external sub-contractors with levels of delegated authority, having the ability and drive to think with a systems perspective. This is a senior technical leadership position with significant responsibility for product quality, security, assurance and long-term maintainability.

Day-to-day, you’ll work collaboratively in a team of multi-discipline engineers, subject matter experts and the customer to mature and develop creative solutions for our current and future clients.

• Own all SE artifacts, including development of engineering plans in conjunction with the technical lead, delivery of systems engineering activities in accordance with the SEMP and management of systems engineering activities. Will be expected to provide systems engineering expertise in the support of all projects and activities within the AI products development team.
• Leading projects and work packages from requirements, architecture design review and testing to formal acceptance of the product. Will include the managing interfaces and trade-offs between systems, sub systems, functions and requirements. Through applying best placed systems engineering practices and systems thinking to develop solutions.
• Managing and working with Subject Matter Experts and external technology suppliers, including experienced AI, data, and software engineers, to plan and execute project delivery.
• Overseeing the integration of software stacks comprised of AI models and algorithms, backend and database systems, and user interfaces, across heterogeneous hardware targets. Ensuring deep assurance of integrated AI-driven products, including the test and validation for mission critical environments.
• Identifying and communication risk, assumptions, issues, dependencies, opportunities developing estimates of engineering activities.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days in the office and days working from home.

Essential Experience of the AI Senior Systems Engineer

• Experience of Lifecycle Management including Research and Development.
• Systems architecture and experience in leading small team and projects.
• Experience in software and development engineering lifecycles.
• A good understanding of cross domain and cross boundary requirements and interface.
• Background in Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities and the defence industry

Qualifications for the AI Senior Systems Engineer

• HNC/HND or Degree in engineering or demonstrable experience in senior Systems Engineering positions with a software component focus.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be a sole UK national who is able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What We Offer

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually
• ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing

Babcock International

For over a century Babcock has helped to defend nations, protect communities and build a better world. To continue, we must adapt, advance and be a sustainable business with a shared goal.

We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [e-mail] with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Closing Date: 12/01/2026

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