Principal Control Systems Engineer

TN United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the defence sector is seeking a Control Systems Engineer with expertise in PLC and SCADA systems. This role involves designing and maintaining advanced control systems for naval platforms, requiring strong technical skills and a commitment to safety and security standards. Join a team dedicated to impactful work in a regulated environment, contributing to national defence efforts.

Benefits

Private health care

Career development opportunities

Performance bonuses

Flexible and hybrid working options

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a PLC engineering environment.
• Experience within Defence or similarly regulated sectors.
• Understanding of testing and commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Capture, interpret and develop customer requirements.
• Produce technical documentation.
• Specify, design and test solutions for PLC control systems.

Skills

PLC experience

SCADA experience

Functional safety

Product security

Industrial communication protocols

Education

Degree in Electrical/Electronic engineering or related discipline

Job description

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Client:

Talent Solutions - Northrup Grumman RPO

Location:

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

dc5f7d119d1b

Job Views:

8

Posted:

25.05.2025

Expiry Date:

09.07.2025

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Job Description:

Define Possible at Northrop Grumman UK

At Northrop Grumman UK, our mission is to solve the most complex challenges by shaping the technology and solutions of tomorrow. We call it Defining Possible.

This mind-set goes beyond our customer solutions; it's the foundation for your career development and the impact we have within the community. So, what's your possible?

Opportunity:

This is more than just a job; it's a mission.

Are you an experienced Control Systems Engineer, with PLC and SCADA experience, eager to work in a highly regulated defence environment? We are seeking skilled engineers to join our team. This position offers the unique opportunity to design, develop, and maintain cutting-edge PLC and HCI solutions for our naval platform management systems, deployed on the UK submarine fleet. You will play a critical role in both the development of the product and the continued support in regard to in-service and through life operational capability, supporting mission-critical naval operations.

This role is ideal for engineers familiar with Siemens PLCs and large infrastructure SCADA solutions, with a specific focus on functional safety and product security.

Our UK Defence business is a Sovereign software and systems centre of excellence. As well as developing and supporting UK wide and internationally deployed multi-domain command and control systems, our work is critical to the modern backbone of the Royal Navy. We pioneer - with fierce curiosity, dedication, and innovation, we seek to solve the world's most challenging problems.

Responsibilities:

Capture, interpret and develop customer requirements
Produce technical documentation in accordance with company/customer procedures
Specify, design and test solutions for PLC control systems
Manage data communications with third party equipment
Develop PLC software from multiple design formats such as Block Diagrams, Flow Charts or Pseudo Code
Validate software designs through analysis and test
Support the preparation of contract changes and proposals
Be aware of and comply with company standards of conduct and all relevant statutory requirements
Provide input to project meetings and team briefings
Undertake any other reasonable task as requested

Benefits:

We can offer you a range of flexible and hybrid working options to suit you, including optional compressed working schedule with every other Friday off. Our benefits including private health care, career development opportunities and performance bonuses. For a comprehensive list of benefits, speak to our recruitment team.

We are looking for:

Design and integration of large-scale PLC Control Systems based on Siemens S7-300/400 (Step 7 Professional Classic).
Experience of Fault Tolerant, High Availability and Safety Integrated PLC Solutions
Experience of Industrial Communication protocols and networking standards such as; Profibus, Profinet, EtherNet/IP, ModBus, TCP/IP, UDP and ASCII
Production of technical documentation
SCADA/PLC interfacing and driver configuration
Software development lifecycles, processes and procedures
5+ years in a PLC engineering environment
Understanding of testing and commissioning
Degree, HNC, HND or equivalent in Electrical/Electronic engineering or a related discipline e.g. C&I engineering, Systems engineering
Experience within Defence, Maritime (Ship's machinery and control systems), Aerospace, or a similarly regulated industrial sector (e.g. Oil & Gas, Pharma or PetroChem)
Security clearance:

You must be able to gain and maintain the relevant UK Government security clearance in line with the job role (SC). Our requirement team is on hand to answer any questions and we will guide you through the process: [emailprotected] .

Why join us?

End-to-End Involvement: Be part of a team responsible for the development of ICS products, playing a critical role in ensuring the security, performance, and compliance of these cutting-edge systems.
Innovative Projects: Work on the design and delivery of next-generation infrastructure for naval platforms, contributing to national defence and global security efforts.
Professional Growth: Take advantage of opportunities to grow your skills through training, certification, and experience in the defence sector, especially in areas like vulnerability management, asset management, safety and cybersecurity for industrial systems.
Impactful Work: Work in a regulated environment with tangible real-world outcomes, ensuring mission-critical systems are secure, compliant, and ready for deployment on some of the world's most advanced naval platforms.
Ready to apply?

If you are a seasoned PLC Control Systems Engineer, looking to take on the challenges of working in a regulated defence environment and are excited by the prospect of delivering industrial control system solutions to a unique and exciting platform, whilst adhering to best practice regarding cybersecurity, functional safety and product development, we want to hear from you!

Submit your application online. Your application will be reviewed by our team and we will be in touch.

Possibly, I'd like to find out more about this role - Reach out to our team for more information and support: [emailprotected] .

No, I don't think this role is right for me - Our extensive UK growth means we have exciting, new opportunities opening all the time. Speak to our team to discuss your career goals.