Principal Systems Engineer

Aalto; Rushmoor; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rewarding Excellence

25 days holiday

Private medical insurance

Dental cash back

Optical cash back

Pension plan

Income protection

Life assurance

Employee assistance

Perkbox discounts

Job summary

AALTO HAPS Ltd. is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to lead the Zephyr system design, development and implementation. You will drive cross-functional collaboration to meet performance, safety and regulatory standards.

Join a highly skilled team to manage complex integration projects, verify compliance, and guide MBSE practices in a cutting-edge high-altitude platform program.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or related field.
• Experience with systems engineering tools and model-based/system engineering approaches.
• Strong communication and leadership capabilities.
• Familiarity with aviation certification processes and regulatory liaison.
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of ARP4754/ARP4761/DO178/DO254 and MBSE.

Responsibilities

• Project management: oversee integration projects from initiation to completion, including budget, timeline, and resources.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring engineers, and promoting best practices; no direct line reports.
• Verify design compliance with regulations; approve test programs and data for verification.
• Lead design process: conceptualization, specifications, system architecture, aerodynamics, and avionics integration.
• Monitor performance and lead real-time anomaly resolution and recovery activities.
• Conduct design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and manage requirements (elicitation, analysis, traceability, V&V).
• Develop and manage extensive testing and mission simulations to validate integrated systems.
• Ensure PART 21 regulatory compliance for activities.
• Stay updated with HAPS technologies and risk management.
• Tailor integration solutions for complex missions and cross-functional collaboration.
• Document design specifications, testing results, and project progress.
• Interact with customers and suppliers, managing technical contract aspects.
• Overseas travel as required.

Skills

DOORS

MBSE

Communication & Leadership

Regulatory Liaison

Problem-solving & Analytical

Aviation Certification Knowledge

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

DOORS

Job description

AALTO, a global leader in Stratospace. Based in Farnborough, AALTO is an Airbus subsidiary that manufactures, operates, and delivers services with its solar-powered, stratospheric platform: Zephyr.

Zephyr’s persistence enables continuous flight for months at a time. Its current flight-time record of over 67 days in the stratosphere. From above 60,000+ft, or 20km above ground, AALTO can deliver several applications including direct-to-device connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation.

AALTO operates in a new operational layer between most of air traffic and low-Earth orbit, Stratospace. This is where high-altitude platforms led by Zephyr deliver services to commercial and government partners. We can help monitor environments, observe borders, track natural disasters and connect unconnected communities.

Join us as we create a new domain of aerospace: Stratospace. You’ll be part of a highly-skilled, innovative and passionate group of people – Team AALTO. Together, we can Unlock Stratospace.

About the role:

As a Principal Systems Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in the design, development, and implementation of the Zephyr system. Leveraging your extensive experience and expertise, you will lead and contribute to complex systems engineering projects, ensuring they meet performance, safety, and regulatory standards. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful implementation, meeting project objectives, and adhering to safety and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities to include:

• Project Management: Manage integration projects from initiation to completion, overseeing budget, timeline, and resource allocation to deliver successful outcomes.

• Technical Leadership: Provide guidance, mentoring and inspiring a diverse team of engineers, fostering collaboration, creativity and professional growth. Make decisions on technical issues and ensure the team adheres to best practices in systems engineering. No direct Line reports.

• Compliance Verification: As a CVE, independently verify the compliance of design solutions with applicable regulations. This includes approving all compliance documents, including test programs and data necessary for the verification of compliance with applicable CS and environmental protection requirements.

• Spearhead the design process, including conceptualization, specifications, and system architecture, taking into account aerodynamics and mech integration, avionics HW & SW, communication, and payload integration.

• Operational Support: Monitor and analyse system performance. Lead real-time anomaly resolution and recovery activities to ensure continuous operation.

• System Design Review: Conduct design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR …).

• Requirements Management: elicitation, analysis, traceability, prioritisation, V&V, baseline and maintenance.

• Testing and Validation: Develop and manage extensive testing protocols to validate the integrated systems' performance, including system-level testing, and mission simulation.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all activities comply with PART 21 regulations, which cover the certification and airworthiness requirements for aircraft and aircraft parts12.

• Research and Development: Stay updated with the latest HAPS technologies and trends.

• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate technical and operational risks associated with HAPS development and operations.

• Customisation and Optimisation: Tailor integration solutions to meet the unique requirements of complex missions, optimizing systems for various operational environments.

• Communication: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, hardware engineers, project managers and analysis engineers to ensure smooth project coordination and integration.

• Documentation: Maintain detailed records of design specifications, testing results, and project progress. Prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders.

• Customer and Supplier Interaction: Act as the primary technical point of contact for customers and suppliers. Manage technical aspects of contracts and ensure compliance with specifications.

• Overseas Travel: Travel overseas may be required as part of this job.

Skills and knowledge required:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience in Systems Engineering tools, e.g. DOORS.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and teamwork abilities.

• Familiarity with the certification process and the ability to act as a liaison with regulatory authorities.

• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills.

• Knowledge of aviation processes: ARP4754, ARP4761, DO178, DO254.

• MBSE Experience

In addition to salary, we offer:

• Rewarding Excellence: Benefit from our short-term incentive plan that rewards your hard work and dedication.

• Enjoy Your Time Off: Benefit from 25 days of holiday to relax and recharge.

• Stay Healthy: We’ve got your health covered with private medical insurance, along with dental and optical cash back.

• Secure Your Future: Take advantage of our personal pension plan to ensure a comfortable retirement.

• Peace of Mind: Our income protection and life assurance schemes are there to support you when you need it most.

• We Care About You: Our employee assistance programme is always available to provide the support you need.

• Perks Galore: Enjoy a range of employee discounts via Perkbox, because you deserve a treat!

AALTO HAPS Ltd. is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.

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