Principal Technologist (AI & &Virtual Reality)

BAE Systems; Rochester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor in the UK is seeking a Principal Technologist specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality. The role involves conducting theoretical research and collaborating with strategic universities to advance technology. The ideal candidate will have relevant industry experience and a degree in a scientific or engineering field. A competitive salary of £60,000 - £65,000 is offered along with a range of benefits.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible health and lifestyle benefits

Green car scheme

Private health plans

Shopping discounts

Annual incentive eligibility

Qualifications

• Experience in avionics or electronics industry.
• Degree in engineering or science required.
• Familiarity with AI and machine learning applications.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research and prototyping to improve technology understanding.
• Produce technology road maps and identify technology gaps.
• Liaise with customers and perform design reviews.

Skills

Validated relevant avionics and / or electronics industry experience

Demonstrable passion for technology

Working understanding of technologies in engineering discipline

Familiarity with Artificial Intelligence concepts

Ability to articulate complex architectures

Education

Degree or equivalent qualification in Scientific / Engineering

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Job description

Job Title

Principal Technologist (Artificial Intelligence & Virtual Reality)

Location

Rochester, Kent.

Salary

£60,000 - £65,000 depending on skills and experience

What you'll be doing

• Conducting theoretical research, synthetic modelling and physical prototyping to improve our understanding of new technologies and reduce technical risks on development programs, including generating new IP and establishing exploitation opportunities
• Working with project teams, business development, and engineering functions to produce technology road maps and identify technology gaps
• Formulating business cases for investment into process improvements and research and development work packages
• Attendance at trade shows and conferences, networking and identifying relevant technologies and collaboration opportunities and briefing back to the Innovation and Growth team
• Working alongside our strategic universities supporting research that is aligned to our technology strategies
• Generating bid material to secure, along with supporting part funded government and European collaborative research programmes
• Liaising with customers on technical issues, define processes / procedures, perform design review assessments and make sound strategic technical decisions within your area of responsibility / expertise
• Ensuring that activities are aligned to business objectives and product roadmaps and can provide demonstrable impact on winning business, program execution or profit margin

Your skills and experiences

Essential

• Validated relevant avionics and / or electronics industry experience
• Degree or equivalent qualification in a Scientific / Engineering (electronics-engineering, software-engineering, physics, math's) environment
• Working understanding of technologies, tools and processes in an engineering discipline software or systems
• Demonstrable passion for technology and for driving innovation into business / product lines / championing ideas through to implementation
• Capable of parsing and articulating complex architectures, concepts and technologies, such as for a technical white paper
• Familiar with Artificial Intelligence concepts and their application, such as Large Language Models and Machine Learning

Desirable

• Familiarity of with human / machine interfaces and augmented / virtual reality
• Understanding of Technical Readiness Levels (TRLs)
• Experienced with agile development toolsets e.g. JIRA and Confluence
• Good understanding of Intellectual Property and its role in a business

Benefits

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Innovation and Growth team

Innovation and Growth (I&G) are responsible for rapid research and assessment of emerging technologies in the context of the Electronic Systems UK business. Our three key technology areas are Trusted Artificial Intelligence, Human / Machine Interfaces, and Next Generation High Integrity Electronics.

The team aid business growth through collaborations with product lines and the wider BAE Systems business and beyond, including a broad spectrum of industry, academia and research organisations. We visit trade shows, conferences and exhibitions to keep up to date with our industry and emerging technologies, and promote an innovation culture through collaborative workshops, presentations and technical demonstrations. I&G facilitate strategic road mapping across the Rochester Business Centre, aligning technology with strategic business objectives and managing disclosure and exploitation of Intellectual Property (IP).

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date

31st October 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.