Lead Engineer

General Dynamics UK Limited; Oakdale; Hybrid; GBP 63,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Nine-day fortnight

Flexible benefits

Career development plan

Hybrid on-site work

Job summary

General Dynamics Mission Systems is seeking a Lead Engineer to provide day-to-day technical leadership of the engineering team and ensure delivery of work packages aligned with objectives, cost, schedule and performance.

You will work with the Programme Manager to maintain scope, deliver across engineering phases, manage risks, and liaise with customers to ensure responsive technical inquiries and successful integration across packages.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as a technical manager on complex integration projects.
• Proven track record of leading cross-functional engineering teams.
• Strong stakeholder management including customer and supplier engagement.
• Expertise in systems engineering: requirements management, system architecture, integration, verification and validation.
• Experience with AI/ML models is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the engineering team, making technical decisions within the bounds of strategy, cost, time, and performance.
• Provide technical oversight and coordination across cross-functional engineering disciplines.
• Own and manage engineering work packages, including tracking progress, resolving dependencies, and ensuring integration across packages.
• Report and manage engineering risks in accordance with the project’s Risk Management Plan.
• Prepare and deliver data packs for engineering phase reviews.
• Ensure all entry and exit criteria for engineering phases are met with appropriate content and quality.
• Liaise with the customer technical community to ensure alignment and responsiveness to technical queries.
• Collaborate with the project management community to ensure engineering delivery supports overall project goals.
• Address supplier-related technical issues as they arise, ensuring timely resolution.
• Provide cover and continuity for both the Chief Engineer and Product Lead as required.

Skills

Technical leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Systems engineering

Risk management

Communication

Lifecycle management

STEM degree

Education

STEM degree

Job description

General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of more than 13,000 top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defence and scientific arenas. In the UK, we are leading the way in avionics and communication systems. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency.

General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of more than 13,000 top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defence and scientific arenas. In the UK, we are leading the way in avionics and communication systems. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency.

Job Description

The Lead Engineer is responsible for the day-to-day technical leadership of the engineering team, ensuring delivery of engineering work packages in alignment with strategic objectives, cost constraints, schedule commitments, and performance requirements. This role acts as a key technical authority within the project, bridging engineering execution with strategic oversight.

The Lead Engineer will work alongside the Programme Manager who will have overall Programmatic schedule and cost management responsibilities for the Project and will be the Technical customer facing for the programme and will ensure that e scope of the programme is maintained and delivered through all phases of the engineering activities.

• Lead and manage the engineering team, making technical decisions within the bounds of strategy, cost, time, and performance.
• Provide technical oversight and coordination across cross-functional engineering disciplines.
• Own and manage engineering work packages, including tracking progress, resolving dependencies, and ensuring integration across packages.
• Report and manage engineering risks in accordance with the project’s Risk Management Plan.
• Prepare and deliver data packs for engineering phase reviews.
• Ensure all entry and exit criteria for engineering phases are met with appropriate content and quality.
• Liaise with the customer technical community to ensure alignment and responsiveness to technical queries.
• Collaborate with the project management community to ensure engineering delivery supports overall project goals.
• Address supplier-related technical issues as they arise, ensuring timely resolution.
• Provide cover and continuity for both the Chief Engineer and Product Lead as required.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

• Extensive experience as a technical manager on complex integration projects, with a proven track record of leading cross-functional engineering teams.
• Demonstrated capability in managing technical delivery across multiple large-scale integration programmes.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including customer and supplier engagement.
• Expertise in systems engineering, including requirements management, system architecture, integration, verification, and validation.
• Proficiency in risk management, problem-solving, and technical issue resolution.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across programmes.
• Deep technical understanding of engineering principles, life-cycle management, and compliance with company and customer processes.
• Typically STEM degree qualified.

Required Experience:

• Military communications equipment is required
• Extensive experience in technical leadership roles
• Track record of successful delivery in complex engineering projects
• Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate cross-functional teams
• Experience working with or familiarity with AI/ML models is preferred.

Additional Information

Salary for this position is £63,072 to £85,000, depending on experience plus our excellent flexible benefits package.

We offer hybrid working - for this role ideally we are looking for an average of 2 days per week per month on site.

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose, offering impressive benefits:

• A compressed nine-day fortnight and compressed hours - which means every other Friday off.
• A personalized career development plan, alongside regular progress reviews - supporting and valuing your progression within the Company.
• A flexible working environment where your contributions are recognized and rewarded with flexible benefits

We believe in maintaining a diverse workplace - inclusive of beliefs, cultural background, job experiences, thoughts and ideas. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we welcome you to join our inclusive team!

Our success is fuelled by our colleagues and the wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills they bring to the Company.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, as such we offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job. Please email [e-mail] if you would like your application to be considered under the DC Scheme.

All successful/appointed applicants must be able to obtain a level of UK Security clearance that is appropriate for the role and undertake suitable Right to work checks

Every application matters to us. We want you to know that each application we receive is reviewed by a real person—not just an algorithm. Our screening questions are also carefully considered to help us understand your experience and fit for the role.

We appreciate the time you take to apply.