Principal Research Engineer & Digital Engineering & Technology

GKN Aerospace; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company seeks a Principal Cryogenic Research Engineer to provide technical leadership in cryogenic power distribution systems. The role involves leading the design and development of cutting-edge cryogenic technology, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and mentoring engineering teams. Candidates should have a B.Eng degree with at least 8 years of relevant experience and a strong understanding of thermodynamics and cryogenic systems. This position offers a hybrid working pattern and competitive benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Up to 15% Bonus

Industry Leading Pension Scheme

Life Assurance 8 x salary

25 days holiday

Flexible working hours

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in cryogenic systems.
• Demonstrated ability to solve real-world technical challenges.
• Experience across full product development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of cryogenic-electrical power distribution systems.
• Ensure compliance with safety, airworthiness, and certification requirements.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams in technical solution delivery.

Skills

Thermodynamic principles

Mechanical principles

Cryogenic systems development

High-current power systems

Safety assessments

Education

B.Eng degree or equivalent

Job description

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

The role of Principal Cryogenic Research Engineer provides a unique opportunity to develop your cryogenics expertise by working alongside World renowned Tech Fellow Stephen Harrison. linkedin.com/in/stephen-harrison-88528119

You will provide technical leadership and strategic direction for cryogenic power distribution within GKN Aerospace Hydrogen Systems. The role plays a critical part in advancing sustainable aerospace power and propulsion technologies by defining, developing, and integrating cryogenic systems that enhance overall system performance, efficiency, and capability.

This position leads the progression of cryogenic concepts from early-stage research through experimental validation and system integration, advancing technologies across Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 1–6). The role carries responsibility for setting technical vision, leading complex, multidisciplinary development activities, and ensuring robust translation of research into system-level solutions.

The Principal Engineer will provide authoritative technical leadership across projects, drive capability growth within the organisation, mentor and develop engineers at all career stages, and champion engineering best practice, governance, and functional excellence.

The role requires extensive cross-functional engagement across disciplines including Electrical, Controls, Systems, and Prototyping to ensure cryogenic solutions are fully aligned with broader system architectures, requirements, and certification pathways.

The role offers a hybrid working pattern

How you'll Contribute

The Principal Research Engineer - Process Development will be responsible for the following:

• Lead the definition and development of system and component designs for cryogenic-electrical power distribution across the full operating temperature range from 20 K to 70 °C, ensuring compliance with applicable safety, airworthiness, and certification requirements.
• Lead the definition and development of system architectures and concepts for MW-class cryogenic-electrical power distribution systems operating at temperatures down to 25 K, ensuring alignment with programme and business objectives.
• Own the end-to-end development of system requirements, providing governance across requirements management, safety assessment, risk mitigation and compliance through design into a validated and certifiable physical product.
• Define and govern design principles, material selections, and technology specifications, ensuring robust, scalable, and cost-effective solutions that meet performance, safety, and airworthiness expectations.
• Lead validation, verification and qualification strategies, defining compliance routes through analysis, simulation, and test (e.g. DO-160) and providing technical leadership to certification planning and engagement.
• Provide functional and technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams, chairing design and peer reviews, assuring technical quality of deliverables, and supporting capability growth through coaching and mentoring.
• Generate and protect intellectual property, shaping cryogenic technology development in line with GKN Aerospace Hydrogen Systems’ long-term technology roadmaps.

What you'll Bring

To help us make a difference, you’ll bring your passion and expertise/ talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:

Essential:

• Minimum B.Eng degree or equivalent and qualified with 8 years relevant experience
• Strong understanding of thermodynamic and mechanical principles, with the ability to apply first-principles engineering to real-world technical challenges.
• Demonstrated experience in the development, integration, and evaluation of cryogenic systems.
• Experience with high-current power systems employing superconducting and/or hyperconducting technologies at cryogenic temperatures.
• Solid understanding of the effects of cryogenic environments on material properties and the resulting implications for system and component design.
• Experience across the full product development lifecycle for cryogenic equipment, from concept definition through detailed design, drawing development and technical review.
• Experience in functional and physical system development at component and system levels.
• Experience conducting and contributing to safety assessments and risk evaluations.
• Experience defining and managing technical work packages internally and with external partners, including specifications and statements of work. Experience reviewing, approving, and leading design reviews to assure technical quality and compliance.

What We'll Offer

Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:

• Competitive salary dependent on experience
• Up to 15% Bonus
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis (Employer max contribution 12%)
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Flexible working hours including the ability to finish at 12noon on a Friday
• Income protection
• Shopping discountsCycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We arethe place where human dreams, plus humanendeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.