Principal Systems Architect & Technical Lead

NIF; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Greenjets seeks a Principal Systems Architect & Technical Lead to shape propulsion, avionics and mission-system architectures. You’ll translate customer needs into robust engineering requirements and drive verification strategies.

You’ll lead a cross-disciplinary team of SVE engineers, guide architecture decisions, and ensure delivery against evolving programmes while maintaining safety and compliance. UK security clearance preferred.

Qualifications

• Substantial systems engineering experience in aerospace, defence or another safety- or mission-critical environment.
• Experience leading system architecture, requirements and verification activities on complex engineering programmes.
• Strong judgement across interfaces, technical trade-offs, change control and acceptance evidence.

Responsibilities

• Own system architectures, requirements and interfaces across multidisciplinary development programmes.
• Turn customer, contractual and standards requirements into practical engineering and verification plans.
• Lead verification and validation strategy, defining acceptance criteria and the evidence needed to demonstrate compliance.
• Guide and develop the systems team, setting priorities and reviewing technical outputs.
• Resolve cross-system issues and assess the impact of design and requirements changes.
• Lead technical reviews and represent Greenjets with customers, suppliers and assurance stakeholders.
• Build proportionate systems engineering processes that support rapid development and reliable delivery.

Skills

Systems engineering

Technical leadership

Requirements management

MBSE

Education

Relevant degree or apprenticeship

Tools

DOORS

Jama

Polarion

Job description

About Greenjets

Greenjets develops high-performance propulsion and autonomous systems for aviation and defence. From concept and prototyping through to integration, flight testing and production, we turn ambitious engineering into hardware that delivers.

We move fast, challenge assumptions and take ownership. We’re looking for people who combine technical depth with the practical judgement to get things built, tested and into service.

About the role

Complex systems need a clear technical direction. You’ll provide it.

As Principal Systems Architect & Technical Lead, you’ll shape how our systems fit together, translate customer needs into clear engineering requirements and define how we prove the finished product works.

You’ll lead a team of Systems Compliance & Verification Engineers, working across propulsion, air vehicles, avionics, software and mission systems. From early architecture decisions through to test and customer acceptance, you’ll keep the engineering coherent as products and programmes evolve.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can make sound technical decisions, challenge weak assumptions and bring rigour without slowing delivery.

What you’ll do

• Own system architectures, requirements and interfaces across multidisciplinary development programmes.

• Turn customer, contractual and standards requirements into practical engineering and verification plans.

• Lead verification and validation strategy, defining acceptance criteria and the evidence needed to demonstrate compliance.

• Guide and develop the systems team, setting priorities and reviewing technical outputs.

• Resolve cross-system issues and assess the impact of design and requirements changes.

• Lead technical reviews and represent Greenjets with customers, suppliers and assurance stakeholders.

• Build proportionate systems engineering processes that support rapid development and reliable delivery.

What you’ll bring

• Substantial systems engineering experience in aerospace, defence or another safety- or mission-critical environment.

• Experience leading system architecture, requirements and verification activities on complex engineering programmes.

• Strong judgement across interfaces, technical trade-offs, change control and acceptance evidence.

• The ability to turn complex requirements into clear decisions and achievable plans.

• A practical leadership style, with the confidence to challenge, decide and take accountability.

• A relevant degree, apprenticeship or equivalent engineering experience.

Experience with UK MOD programmes, unmanned aircraft, MBSE or requirements management tools such as DOORS, Jama or Polarion would be valuable.

Why Greenjets?

You’ll have real influence over the architecture, engineering approach and delivery of evolving products. You’ll work close to the hardware and the people building it, with the scope to shape both our systems and our engineering capability.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK and meet the security clearance and export-control requirements of the programmes they support. Travel to customer, supplier and test locations may be required.