Senior System Engineer

IO Associates; England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the defence sector is seeking a Senior System Engineer for a high-profile government programme, focusing on Model-Based Systems Engineering and secure systems delivery. The role involves stakeholder collaboration and comprehensive engineering responsibilities, contributing significantly to national security and program success.

Qualifications

• Minimum SC clearance, ideally DV cleared.
• Experience in large-scale integration programmes.
• In-depth knowledge of virtualised environments.

Responsibilities

• Define system-of-systems requirements with stakeholders and suppliers.
• Use MBSE tools for modelling functional requirements.
• Produce detailed engineering artefacts and security documentation.

Skills

Architecture modelling tools

Requirements engineering

Stakeholder coordination

System modelling

Secure systems design

Tools

Sparx EA

MagicDraw Cameo

Job description

Senior System Engineer | up to £80,000 | Farnborough - Hybrid

We are seeking a Senior System Engineer to join a high-profile government defence programme, working on systems vital to national security. This role offers the opportunity to work across the full engineering life cycle in an agile environment, with a focus on Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and secure systems delivery.

Key Responsibilities:
* Work with stakeholders, suppliers, and architects to define system-of-systems requirements.
* Use MBSE tools to model functional requirements and system behaviours.
* Lead technical derivation, compliance assessments, and requirements allocation.
* Produce detailed engineering artefacts including designs, failure modes analysis, security documentation, and service management designs.
* Support onboarding of services onto virtualised infrastructure.
* Conduct system-level cost/benefit and technical trade studies.
* Deliver milestone reviews and ensure engineering tasks align with programme scope.
* Define and model interfaces, user scenarios, and security requirements.
* Collaborate across agile teams to maintain design and architectural alignment.

Required Skills & Experience:
* Strong expertise in architecture modelling tools (eg Sparx EA, MagicDraw Cameo).
* Familiarity with frameworks and languages such as TOGAF, MODAF, NAF, SysML, Archimate.
* Experience on large-scale, mission-critical integration programmes.
* Skilled in system modelling, interface definition, and functional decomposition.
* In-depth knowledge of requirements engineering (text and model-based).
* Experience with secure systems design, including CIA principles and virtualised environments.
* Strong stakeholder and supplier coordination abilities.
* Proven ability to develop security artefacts (eg RMADs, SyOPS, ISMS, DART).
* Minmum SC cleared, ideally DV cleared.

Desirable:
* ITIL and knowledge of Service Management processes.
* Background in Air Traffic Management or other safety-critical domains.
* Experience with assurance and regulatory compliance across functional areas.
* Willingness to challenge conventions and offer innovative solutions.
* Confident communicator with clear written and verbal presentation skills.

This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in a strategically significant programme, delivering secure, high-assurance systems that make a real-world impact. If you thrive in complex, fast-paced engineering environments, we'd love to hear from you.