Lead Radar Systems Engineer

Plextek; Great Chesterford; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Plextek, based just south of Cambridge, seeks a Lead Radar Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership across radar activities, supporting delivery, capability development and growth. You will define advanced radar and RF architectures from concept through demonstration and deployment, working with RF, electronics, signal processing, software and systems teams.

This role requires UK SC / UKEO clearance and offers the chance to mentor engineers and help shape Plextek’s radar capability in a

Qualifications

• Significant (minimum 10 years+) industrial experience in customised radar systems development.
• Deep expertise across radar systems, RF architectures, and integration.
• Ability to mentor engineers and develop capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of advanced radar and RF systems from concept to deployment.
• Define RF architectures against customer requirements and perform trade-offs.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams through complex projects and contribute to strategy.
• Develop radar system requirements, performance models, and validation plans.
• Present complex concepts to customers and identify new opportunities.

Skills

Radar systems

RF design

Systems engineering

Mentoring

Customer engagement

Job description

Plextek is a leading choice for employees and customers for exceptional engineering and strategic innovation to create better, safer, and more sustainable technologies and products.

OUR VALUES AND BELIEFS:

Being a responsible business, we work with integrity and honesty. We share success with our people and our communities. We embrace diversity in outlook and work as a team with colleagues, customers, and suppliers to provide the best technical solution and professional service experience. We empower each other, we’re adaptable, show initiative, and deliver on our commitments together.

THE ROLE

If you’re a recognised radar expert who still enjoys hands‑on engineering, and want to help shape the future direction of a rapidly expanding capability, we’d like to talk to you.

As a Lead Radar Systems Engineer, you will provide technical leadership across our radar activities, supporting customer delivery, capability development and business growth.

You will lead the technical definition of advanced radar systems and RF architectures from concept through to demonstration and deployment, working closely with multidisciplinary teams spanning RF, electronics, signal processing, software and systems engineering.

You will also play a key role in developing our radar capability, helping to identify new opportunities, mentor engineers and maintain Plextek’s reputation for solving technically challenging problems.

This role requires UK SC / UKEO clearance.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Lead the development of advanced radar and RF systems.
• Define and assess Radio Frequency architectures against (sometimes unclear) customer requirements.
• Make critical system-level trade-offs involving performance, cost, risk and implementation complexity.
• Guide multidisciplinary engineering teams through the delivery of complex projects to help drive effective execution.
• Support technical strategy and the growth of RF and radar-related capabilities.
• Develop radar system requirements and performance models.
• Conduct system-level analysis and architecture selection.
• Evaluate radar performance trade-offs including detection range, resolution, sensitivity and clutter performance.
• Act as a trusted technical authority for customers.
• Support project scoping, proposal generation and technical planning.
• Present complex technical concepts clearly to customers and stakeholders.
• Identify new opportunities arising from customer challenges and emerging technologies.

Capability Development

• Mentor and coach engineers across radar, RF and systems disciplines.
• Contribute to technology roadmaps and research activities.
• Support recruitment and technical development within the radar team.
• Help maintain and expand Plextek’s position as a leader in advanced RF and radar solutions.

We are looking for a highly capable engineer with significant (minimum 10 years+) industrial experience in customised radar systems development.

You should have deep expertise across a substantial proportion of the following:

Radar Systems

• FMCW radar systems
• SAR and radar imaging systems
• Radar performance modelling and analysis
• Antenna concepts and system integration

RF Systems Design

• RF link and level planning
• RF transceiver architecture selection

RF Hardware Understanding

• RF and microwave circuit design
• Distributed microwave techniques
• Millimetre-wave systems
• High-performance frequency synthesisers
• Analogue electronics relevant to RF electronics
• Requirements capture and analysis
• Verification and validation planning
• Technical leadership of multidisciplinary teams
• Project definition and technical scoping
• Technology and capability development

The ideal candidate will be:

• Technically exceptional and recognised by peers as an authority in radar systems.
• Curious, proactive and motivated by difficult engineering challenges.
• Comfortable operating with significant autonomy.
• Commercially aware and able to engage directly with customers.
• A natural mentor who enjoys developing less experienced engineers.
• Excited by building capability and shaping the future direction of a growing business.

THE REWARDS

We offer an excellent package, a stimulating environment, and a real interest in your development to encourage you to achieve your full potential. We are a versatile business, able to support career progression as appropriate.

We are based just south of Cambridge with easy road and rail routes to the city centre. We provide a friendly and supportive working environment, including regular on‑site and off‑site social events.