Principal Systems Engineer Consultant

UK Space Jobs; Chippenham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Private health

Life assurance

Holiday purchase scheme

Job summary

UK Space Jobs is seeking a Principal Consultant to lead Systems Engineering projects across defence, space, and related sectors. The role focuses on delivering high-quality consultancy from requirements management through to system architecture and verification, with a strong emphasis on MBSE and client delivery.

The candidate will mentor teams, lead bids, and drive business development while maintaining technical excellence and stakeholder satisfaction in a hybrid working environment.

Qualifications

• Extensive systems engineering experience in a consulting setting.
• Stakeholder engagement with MOD, defence primes, and government bodies.
• Ability to lead teams and mentor junior consultants.
• Experience developing and implementing best practices in systems engineering.
• Strong written and verbal communication for senior stakeholders.
• Deep technical knowledge in defence or high-integrity domains.

Responsibilities

• Lead major consulting projects ensuring technical excellence and client satisfaction.
• Provide strategic advice on systems engineering approaches for defence programs.
• Develop architectures, system integration strategies, and roadmaps.
• Identify opportunities, contribute to bids, and expand client relationships.
• Act as SME in MBSE, capability development, and technical assurance.
• Mentor internal capability and support professional development.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

MBSE

Systems engineering

Business development

Education

Degree required

Job description

Principal Consultant - Systems Engineering

Salary - £60K-£80K, competitive benefits including - pension, private health, life assurance, additional holiday purchase scheme to name but a few.

Hybrid working

Our client is a rapidly growing and successful technical consultancy firm. Their team is dedicated to delivering high-quality, end-to-end consultancy services, ranging from requirements management and modelling and simulation through to P3M. They operate across multiple sectors, including defence, energy, and health. They are looking for Principal Consultant to join their Systems Engineering team as they go through their next phase of growth.

The System Engineering function is responsible for understanding clients challenges and finding solutions to their problems. Their capabilities cover the full lifecycle from Requirements Engineering; Architecture Development; Systems Analysis, Analysis of Alternatives; Integration Verification Validation and Testing; through to Sustainment; Disposal and Replacement. Their staff that are active members of INCOSE, they can provide technical leaders and are a trusted service that is based on best practice and places clients thinking and systems approaches at the heart of any project.

They are currently working with several clients in the Telecommunications, Network Systems, Military C4I Systems, Digital Engineering, Space Systems, Digital Twins area. A strong defence background within systems engineering consultancy is the main requirement for this role

The Role Of Principal Systems Engineering Consultant

You will be expected to lead on Major consulting projects ensuring technical excellence is delivered and the client’s expectations are met. Your role will involve elements of team leadership, client delivery, providing technical expertise, and business development contributing to the identification of opportunities and providing input to bids.

Responsibilities Of Principal Systems Engineer Consultant Will Include

• Leading major consulting projects, ensuring technical excellence and client satisfaction.
• Providing strategic advice on systems engineering approaches for defence programs.
• Leading the development of architectures, system integration strategies, and technical roadmaps.
• Leading business development by identifying opportunities, contributing to bids, and expanding client relationships.
• Acting as a subject matter expert in systems engineering disciplines such as model-based systems engineering (MBSE), capability development, and technical assurance.
• Mentoring and developing internal capability, supporting training and professional development initiatives.

Experience Required For Role Of Principal Systems Engineer Consultant

You will have a extensive experience of systems engineering in a consulting setting demonstrating capability analysis techniques, and the proven ability to develop technical solutions to business problems. Candidates will require expertise in some or all of the following areas:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop innovative and practical solutions for client challenges.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, including working with UK MOD, defence primes, and government bodies.
• Ability to lead and mentor teams, providing technical oversight and professional development to junior and mid-level consultants.
• Experience developing and implementing best practices in systems engineering, shaping company methodologies and frameworks.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of influencing senior stakeholders and presenting complex technical information to a wide range of audiences.
• Strong business acumen and commerciality
• Lead business development by identifying opportunities, bid delivery, and expanding client relationships.
• Deep technical knowledge in systems engineering within defence or similar high-integrity domains.
• Experience leading technical teams and projects within the defence, aerospace, or security sectors.
• Familiarity with defence acquisition frameworks
• Educated to degree level, or equivalent relevant experience.

Other Requirements

Candidates must have an existing right to live and work in the UK.

Ideally with current UK SC or DV Security Clearance.

Keywords – Systems Engineer, Systems Engineering, Defence, Telecommunications, C41, Network Systems, Modelling, Simulation, Digital Twins, Space Systems, Bids, Simulation, Requirements Management, Team Leader., Consultant, INCOSE Engineering Architecture Development, Systems Analysis, Model Based Systems Engineering