Senior Systems Engineer

Fusion Energy Base; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

UK Atomic Energy Authority is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to own systems engineering delivery across complex projects, ensuring coherent architectures, interfaces and verification across lifecycle. You will translate stakeholder needs into requirements and plans, applying systems thinking to manage complexity and risk with a team of engineers across disciplines.

The role emphasises MBSE, structured trade studies, and clear documentation, with onsite flexibility at Culham and a strong

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of systems engineering methods across requirements, architecture, interfaces, lifecycle, integration, verification and validation.
• Experience owning or coordinating systems outputs for a technical scope.
• Ability to apply systems thinking to complex multidisciplinary challenges.
• Experience using modelling, analysis and structured trade studies to support decisions.
• Professional development through ASEP, CSEP or registration, plus MBSE or digital engineering familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Own systems engineering delivery for an assigned technical scope across requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration and verification.
• Develop and manage requirements, traceability and artefacts throughout the lifecycle.
• Define system and subsystem architectures and evaluate performance, safety, cost, schedule and lifecycle needs.
• Manage technical interfaces and support change-impact analysis.
• Plan integration, verification and validation activities with traceable evidence.
• Apply modelling and analysis to support design decisions and risk management.
• Identify and manage risks, dependencies and decisions with clear rationale.
• Communicate complex issues to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and contribute to the engineering practice.

Skills

Systems engineering methods

Requirements engineering

MBSE / digital engineering

Engineering judgment

Communication skills

Education

ASEP / CSEP professional registration

Tools

Model-based systems engineering tools

Job description

Senior Systems Engineer

Overview of Responsibilities

The salary for this role is £57,117 (inclusive of a Specialist Allowance) Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week, however, we actively support requests for flexible working. This role is based at our Culham site, Oxfordshire This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data.

The Role

As a Senior Systems Engineer, you’ll take ownership of systems engineering delivery across complex, multidisciplinary engineering projects, helping to ensure systems are technically coherent, traceable and fit for purpose throughout their lifecycle. Working across an assigned system, subsystem, demonstrator, test rig or technical area, you’ll translate stakeholder needs into clear requirements, architectures, interfaces, integration plans and verification evidence. You’ll use systems thinking to manage complexity, dependencies and technical risk, providing the structure and engineering judgement needed to support robust technical decisions. You’ll work with specialists from across engineering, science and project delivery, giving you the opportunity to apply systems engineering principles to some of the complex and novel challenges involved in developing fusion energy.

Key Responsibilities

• Own systems engineering delivery for an assigned technical scope, maintaining coherence across requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration and verification.
• Develop and manage requirements, traceability and systems engineering artefacts throughout the engineering lifecycle.
• Define system and subsystem architectures and contribute to technical trade-offs across performance, safety, cost, schedule and lifecycle requirements.
• Manage technical interfaces and support configuration and change-impact analysis.
• Plan and coordinate integration, verification and validation activities, ensuring evidence is complete, traceable and suitable to support technical assurance and acceptance.
• Apply modelling and analysis techniques to support design decisions, trade studies and verification activities.
• Identify and manage technical risks, assumptions and dependencies, ensuring decisions and their rationale are clearly documented.
• Communicate complex systems engineering issues to technical and non-technical stakeholders, helping teams reach informed and evidence-based decisions.
• Mentor less experienced engineers, review technical outputs and contribute to the continued development of systems engineering practice across UKAEA.

Salary

£57,117 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension

Programme

Integrated Design

Department

Engineering

Discipline

Engineering

Site Location

UKAEA Culham, Oxfordshire

Type of Employment

Full-time

Reference Number

REF4467E

QualificationsEssential Requirements

• Strong knowledge and practical application of systems engineering methods across requirements, architecture, interfaces, lifecycle, integration, verification and validation.
• Experience owning or coordinating systems engineering outputs for a system, subsystem, demonstrator, test rig or comparable technical scope.
• The ability to apply systems thinking to complex and multidisciplinary engineering challenges.
• Experience using modelling, analysis and structured trade studies to support technical decision-making.
• Confidence working independently and exercising professional engineering judgement.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to build alignment across engineering disciplines and stakeholders.
• A structured, evidence-based approach to problem-solving, technical risk and decision-making.
• Experience within complex, regulated, research or experimental engineering environments would be advantageous.
• Professional development through ASEP, CSEP, professional registration or equivalent, alongside experience of model-based systems engineering (MBSE), digital engineering or systems engineering toolsets, would also be beneficial.

Additional Information

A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce. We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit.UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email [e-mail] if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information. Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.