Senior Project Design Authority – Underwater Systems

Thales Group; South Cheriton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Half day Friday

Annual leave 28 days + bank holidays

Volunteer day

Private healthcare

Pension scheme

Life cover

Employee assistance program

Employee discounts

Gym discounts

Job summary

Thales Group is seeking a Project Design Authority to lead and authorize complex sonar projects from concept to sea. You will act as the ultimate arbiter of solution integrity, ensuring compliance, safety, and performance in anti-submarine warfare and mine-hunting tech.

Hybrid options available in Templecombe or Cheadle with 25% UK-wide travel. The role demands technical depth in Sonar/Signal Processing, strong leadership, and the ability to serve as the primary technical interface with

Qualifications

• Significant expertise in Sonar Systems, Signal Processing, or Hardware.
• Proven PDA/Lead Engineer on large defense projects.
• Strong communication and leadership for customer-facing roles.

Responsibilities

• Act as the 'technical conscience' for the project, approving the Design & Justification File (D&JF).
• Lead the technical voice in front of the Customer and translate complex requirements into engineering strategies.
• Ensure solutions meet contract requirements, export restrictions, and safety/environmental legislation.
• Navigate 'Make vs. Buy' decisions and mitigate technical risks throughout the bid and project lifecycle.
• Sign off on the final integration, verification, and validation (IV&V) of complex systems.

Skills

Technical depth

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Job description

Thales Group is seeking a Project Design Authority to lead and authorize complex sonar projects from concept to sea. You will act as the ultimate arbiter of solution integrity, ensuring compliance, safety, and performance in anti-submarine warfare and mine-hunting tech.

Hybrid options available in Templecombe or Cheadle with 25% UK-wide travel. The role demands technical depth in Sonar/Signal Processing, strong leadership, and the ability to serve as the primary technical interface with