Lead Defence Systems Engineer – Protected Mobility

NP Aerospace Limited; Coventry; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Flexible start/finish times

Holiday allowance

Pension plan

Life insurance

Health plan

Career development

Job summary

NP Aerospace is seeking an experienced Principal Engineer to provide technical leadership across Protected Mobility programmes, guiding systems engineering from concept through production. You will collaborate with Chief Engineer, programme teams, and customers to deliver technically robust vehicle solutions.

The role covers requirements flow-down, architecture development, and technology assessment, with extensive interaction with suppliers and internal reviews.

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Proven experience leading activities on engineering development programmes.
• Strong requirements development experience, including DOORS.
• Proven system design and analysis experience using a SysML tool.
• Experience across the full systems engineering lifecycle.
• Proven experience managing subcontractors through design, integration, test and acceptance.
• Ability to create and maintain high‑quality technical documentation.
• Ability to lead or support the development of technical standards and guidelines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills.
• Excellent customer relationship skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively within the UK and potentially overseas.
• Ability to hold UK Security Clearance (SC).

Responsibilities

• Provide systems engineering leadership across Protected Mobility programmes.
• Analyse and flow down system requirements, develop specifications and functional architectures.
• Assess competing technologies, identify viable solutions and shape technical standards.
• Work with subcontractors through design, integration, test and acceptance.
• Contribute to internal and external design reviews and brief senior leadership.
• Take ownership to drive complex technical issues to resolution.
• Contribute to innovation and continued development of NP Aerospace's systems engineering capability.

Skills

Systems engineering leadership

Requirements development

SysML

Lifecycle management

Subcontractor management

Technical documentation

Technical standards

Verbal and written communication

Influencing & negotiation

Travel willingness

UK Security Clearance (SC)

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

DOORS

SysML tool

Job description

NP Aerospace is seeking an experienced Principal Engineer to provide technical leadership across Protected Mobility programmes, guiding systems engineering from concept through production. You will collaborate with Chief Engineer, programme teams, and customers to deliver technically robust vehicle solutions.

The role covers requirements flow-down, architecture development, and technology assessment, with extensive interaction with suppliers and internal reviews.