Principal Systems Engineering Consultant

The Talent Locker Ltd.; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Locker is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to lead complex defence-focused projects, providing technical direction and client-facing leadership. The role is Portsmouth-based with hybrid working arrangements.

You will work across the systems engineering lifecycle, mentor engineers, shape technical capability, and contribute to bids and the growth of the business. You will engage with UK MOD and defence primes to deliver practical, high-integrity solutions.

Qualifications

• Senior role with client-facing responsibilities.
• Experience in defence/aerospace or high-integrity environments.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to capability growth.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering projects and provide technical direction.
• Develop and review architectures, strategies, and roadmaps.
• Engage with MOD, defence primes, and government customers.
• Translate complex problems into practical engineering solutions.
• Mentor and develop engineers and consultants across the team.
• Support bids and identify new business opportunities.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Technical Leadership

Stakeholder Management

MBSE

Business Development

Job description

Principal Systems Engineer

Portsmouth | Hybrid | £80,000 | SC Clearance

Talent Locker are working with a growing consultancy supporting customers across the defence and other high-integrity sectors, who are looking to add an experienced Principal Systems Engineer to their team.

This is a senior, client facing role for someone who enjoys getting into complex engineering problems, providing technical direction and helping customers find practical solutions. You’ll be working across the systems engineering lifecycle, whilst also having the opportunity to shape technical capability, mentor others and contribute to the growth of the business.

What will you be doing?

You’ll take a leading role across major consulting projects, providing both technical expertise and leadership to ensure high quality outcomes for clients.

Your work could include:

• Leading systems engineering projects and providing technical direction to delivery teams.
• Developing and reviewing systems architectures, technical strategies, and roadmaps.
• Working across requirements engineering, systems analysis, MBSE, integration, verification, validation, and technical assurance.
• Working closely with customers to understand complex challenges and develop practical engineering solutions.
• Engaging with stakeholders across UK MOD, defence primes and government organisations.
• Providing technical input into bids and supporting the identification of new opportunities.
• Helping to develop systems engineering methodologies, frameworks and best practice.
• Mentoring and developing engineers and consultants across the wider team.

What are we looking for?

This role would suit an experienced Systems Engineer who is comfortable operating at a senior/technical leadership level and enjoys working directly with clients.

You’ll ideally have:

• Strong experience within systems engineering, ideally gained within defence, aerospace, security or another high-integrity environment.
• Experience leading technical projects, teams or workstreams.
• Strong understanding of areas such as requirements, architecture, systems analysis, MBSE, integration or technical assurance.
• Experience working with MOD, defence primes or government customers.
• The ability to take complex technical problems and turn them into practical solutions.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to engage with senior technical audiences.
• An interest in mentoring others and helping to develop technical capability.
• Commercial awareness and an interest in contributing to business development and bids.
• Familiarity with defence acquisition frameworks would be beneficial.

Security requirements

You’ll need existing UK right to work and be willing to undergo baseline security checks and apply for SC clearance.