Senior System Engineer

QinetiQ Group plc; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense technology firm in Portsmouth is seeking a Senior System Engineer to lead a high-performing team. The role involves supporting operational experimentation and integrating complex systems across maritime and littoral battlespace. Candidates should have a strong background in systems engineering, particularly in defense, autonomy, or robotics, and a degree or equivalent experience. Offering hybrid working arrangements and a range of benefits.

Benefits

Matched contribution pension scheme with life assurance

Generous holiday allowance

Options for Health Cash Plan and Private Medical Insurance

Employee discount portal

Volunteering Opportunities

Qualifications

• Strong systems engineering background in defence, autonomy or robotics.
• Knowledge of systems integration and testing across complex platforms.
• Understanding of system development issues including safety certification.

Responsibilities

• Leading and supporting a high-performing systems engineering team.
• Supporting research and operational experimentation to guide future programmes.
• Enabling trials and experimentation to explore concepts and evaluate solutions.

Skills

Systems engineering background in defence, autonomy or robotics

Knowledge of systems integration and testing

Experience in uncrewed or autonomous systems development

Understanding of system of systems approach

Education

Educated to degree level or equivalent

Job description

Overview

As a Senior System Engineer you'll apply your expertise to complex challenges, developing and assessing new approaches that guide future programmes and shape how technology is applied in real-world operations. Day-to-day, you'll be part of and at times lead a high-performing team with a proven track record of delivery for the MOD and our other external customers. You'll support research, operational experimentation and analysis that inform future acquisition programmes, while developing and testing new approaches to customer challenges using emerging technologies. The role also involves enabling trials and experimentation to explore innovative concepts, and applying your systems engineering expertise to integrate complex systems across the maritime and littoral battlespace.

Responsibilities

• Leading and supporting a high-performing systems engineering team
• Supporting research and operational experimentation to guide future programmes
• Developing and testing innovative approaches to solve customer challenges
• Enabling trials and experimentation to explore concepts and evaluate solutions

Qualifications

• Strong systems engineering background in defence, autonomy or robotics
• Knowledge of systems integration and testing across complex platforms
• Experience in uncrewed or autonomous systems development and deployment, would be advantageous but not essential
• Understanding of system of systems approach, able to interpret and exploit architecture and interfaces to deliver coherent solutions
• Understanding of system development issues including configuration management, non-functional considerations, safety certification, security accreditation, resilience, performance and availability
• Educated to degree level or equivalent with demonstrated professional development (e.g. CEng, IEng, CHPP)

We value difference and we don't have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, provided you can show the required level of experience and willingness to learn then we would like to hear from you.

Working arrangements

This role is 37 hours per week based at Portsmouth Technology Park. Hybrid working patterns are available and travel to other QinetiQ and customer sites will be expected.

About Portsmouth Technology Park and QinetiQ

Portsmouth Technology Park (PTP) is one of QinetiQ's key facilities, focusing on advanced technology development and engineering services. It is dedicated to research and development, ensuring that complex systems are designed, integrated, and tested effectively to meet operational requirements. The facility utilises sophisticated modelling and simulation techniques to analyse and predict performance.

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there's never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges. As a QinetiQ employee, you'll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you'll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Visit our website to read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture: www.qinetiq.com/en/careers/life-at-qinetiq

Benefits

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days
• Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme
• Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community

Recruitment Process

We want to make sure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and we aspire to bring out the best in our candidates by creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard and supported. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your Recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments. Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which means factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in. Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.