Principal Test Engineer CCA

MBDA; Stevenage; Hybrid; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead Test Engineer to join their Circuit Card Assembly Business Unit. This role offers a rewarding opportunity to work in a modern defence manufacturing environment, where you will manage a small team of engineers and provide technical leadership. You will be responsible for driving team delivery aligned with programme and quality requirements, ensuring that project objectives are met within time and cost constraints. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, this innovative firm values your contributions and offers a range of benefits, including a company bonus and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Company Bonus

Pension Contribution

Paid Overtime

Flexi Leave

Enhanced Parental Leave

Subsidised Meals

Free Parking

Qualifications

• Minimum HNC qualification or equivalent in a relevant subject.
• Experience managing a small team of technical professionals.
• Good understanding of analogue and digital electronics.

Responsibilities

• Manage a small team of test engineers, prioritising tasks effectively.
• Provide technical leadership to ensure programme targets are met.
• Lead defect investigations on analogue, digital, and RF CCAs.

Skills

Analogue Electronics

Digital Electronics

Failure Diagnosis Techniques

Team Management

Technical Communication

Education

HNC in Relevant Subject

HND/Degree in Relevant Subject

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

This role provides a technically challenging and rewarding opportunity to work in a modern defence manufacturing environment, providing essential and decisive military capability to our UK customer and their allies.

Salary: Circa £50,000.00 depending on experience

Dynamic (hybrid) working: 4-5 days per week on-site due to workload classification

Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship

Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. All successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

Company bonus: Up to £2,500 (based on company performance, varies year to year)

Pension: Total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%

Overtime: Opportunity for paid overtime

Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days

Flexible working: We welcome applicants seeking flexible arrangements

Enhanced parental leave: Up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave; enhancements available for paternity, neonatal, and fertility treatments

Facilities: Including subsidised meals, free parking, and more

The opportunity:

This is for a Lead Test Engineer with a strong technical bias to join the Circuit Card Assembly Business Unit in Manufacturing UK, supporting testing and diagnostics of circuit cards and electronics in manufacture.

• Management of a small team (approx. 5 test engineers), including deployment and prioritisation
• Responsibility for team development and performance reviews
• Driving team delivery aligned with programme and quality requirements, fostering continuous improvement
• Providing technical leadership to ensure programme targets are met within time, cost, and quality constraints
• Supporting and guiding the Test Engineering team for future project capabilities
• Representing at stakeholder meetings to report progress and align priorities
• Liaising with design and support teams to support current and future test capabilities
• Leading defect investigations on analogue, digital, and RF CCAs
• Providing technical input to NCRB to improve test yields
• Managing configuration of test documentation in line with company processes

You will work with a dedicated team in a fast-paced, friendly, inclusive manufacturing environment, ranging from apprentices to experienced practitioners, all striving for technical excellence.

What we're looking for from you:

• Minimum HNC qualification or equivalent (ideally HND/degree) in a relevant subject
• Good understanding of analogue and digital electronics and failure diagnosis techniques
• Experience in presenting technical information to stakeholders at various levels
• Experience managing a small team of technical professionals
• Ability to plan and organise team work to meet project objectives
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including generating specifications, instructions, and reports using Microsoft Office

Our company:

MBDA is a leading defence organisation committed to supporting armed forces and defending our nations. We value diversity and encourage applicants to seek support or adjustments during the recruitment process. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Glassdoor, or visit our careers website for more information.