Solution Architect

Raytheon UK; High Wycombe; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Raytheon UK is seeking a Solution Architect to support the Chief Engineer in delivering a secure, interoperable Joint Collective Training capability for UK Defence, NATO and partners. You will translate customer needs into end-to-end technical architectures spanning modelling, simulation, networks and data platforms.

Working across diverse teams and suppliers, you will design scalable, secure architectures, define integration patterns, and guide implementation to achieve measurable training

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Solution Architect in defence or regulated programmes.
• Strong systems engineering and systems integration background.
• Experience designing simulation hosting infrastructures and LVC environments.
• Knowledge of HLA/DIS and NATO interoperability standards.
• Ability to balance operational, technical, security, and cost factors.

Responsibilities

• Design secure, scalable, and cost-effective architectures aligned with programme objectives.
• Develop and maintain architecture artefacts and interface definitions.
• Translate user needs into coherent technical designs.
• Lead integration across simulation systems and CIS.
• Collaborate with suppliers and engineering teams for architectural compliance.

Skills

Defence Solution Architecture

Systems Engineering

Interoperability standards

LVC simulation design

Requirements engineering

Stakeholder engagement

Tools

HLA

DIS

NATO standards

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-11
Country: United Kingdom
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Position Role Type: Onsite

The Solution Architect

At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.
Raytheon brings the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

About us:

The Future Joint Command and Staff Trainer (FJCAST) programme will transform the delivery of senior staff training, enabling Joint Headquarters, operational commands, coalition partners and allied nations to train together across Land, Maritime, Air, Space and Cyberspace domains. Through the integration of simulation, synthetic environments, exercise design, data exploitation, operational networks and coalition interoperability, FJCAST will support the training, preparation, experimentation and evaluation of UK and allied operational headquarters.

The role:

The Solution Architect will support the Chief Engineer in the development and delivery of a secure, interoperable, and data-driven Joint Collective Training capability. The role is responsible for analysing customer requirements and designing the end-to-end technical solutions that underpin collective training across UK Defence, NATO, coalition partners, and multi-domain operational environments. The Solution Architect will lead the development of architectures spanning modelling and simulation, synthetic environments, exercise support systems, operational CIS, data exploitation platforms, networking, distributed edge computing, and training management systems. Working across a diverse ecosystem of Defence customers, technology providers, simulation partners, and engineering teams, the Solution Architect will ensure that individual systems are integrated into a coherent training ecosystem capable of delivering realistic, scalable, and operationally relevant Tier 3 and Tier 4 collective training exercises. The role combines solution architecture, systems integration, simulation architecture, networking, distributed computing, Secure by Design principles, and requirements engineering to deliver measurable training outcomes and operational readiness.

Key Responsibilities:

Architecture & Solution Design

• Design secure, scalable, resilient, and cost-effective solution architectures aligned with FJCAST programme objectives and enterprise architecture principles.
• Support the Chief Engineer in developing and maintaining the programme technical architecture, future-state vision, and architectural roadmap.
• Develop High-Level Designs (HLDs), Low-Level Designs (LLDs), technical architectures, integration patterns, and implementation roadmaps.
• Ensure solution designs align with operational, security, interoperability, performance, resilience, and availability requirements.
• Produce and maintain architecture artefacts, technical specifications, interface definitions, and design documentation.

Requirements Analysis & Solution Definition

• Work closely with military stakeholders, training audiences, operational users, and partner organisations to understand training objectives and operational outcomes.
• Translate user needs and business requirements into coherent technical architectures and solution designs.
• Develop and maintain requirements-to-solution traceability ensuring architecture decisions remain linked to customer outcomes.
• Ensure solutions support measurable training outcomes, force preparedness, readiness assessment, interoperability, and future capability growth.
• Lead/Support in future bid work, strategy direction, and innovation throughout the Training Business.

Simulation & Synthetic Environment Architecture

• Design and integrate modelling and simulation capabilities supporting Joint, Combined, and Multi-Domain training.
• Develop architectures supporting Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) training environments.
• Design simulation federations using HLA, DIS, and NATO interoperability standards.
• Support integration of Exercise Control (EXCON), exercise management systems, synthetic environment platforms, scenario generation tools, and training support capabilities.
• Ensure synthetic environments accurately represent operational conditions, threat environments, patterns of life, and multi-domain effects.
• Support experimentation, mission rehearsal, operational analysis, and After-Action Review activities through simulation-enabled solutions.

Systems Integration

• Lead solution-level systems integration activities across simulation systems, operational CIS, communications networks, exercise management systems, data platforms, analytics services, distributed compute environments and training support systems.
• Define integration patterns, service interfaces, APIs, messaging architectures, and data exchange mechanisms.
• Develop systems-of-systems architectures spanning Defence, NATO, coalition, and partner environments.
• Ensure interoperability across operational, simulation, training, and business systems.
• Collaborate with suppliers and technical teams to ensure architectural compliance and effective integration.

Networking & Distributed Edge Compute

• Design networking architectures supporting distributed simulation, federation services, multicast communications, exercise delivery and secure information exchange across multiple security domains.
• Design scalable, secure and resilient solution architectures aligned with FJCAST enterprise architecture and Joint Training objectives, incorporating server-based infrastructure, distributed computing, edge-compute capabilities, and secure operational networks.
• Design solutions capable of operating across disconnected, degraded, intermittent, and contested communications environments.
• Support secure information exchange across multiple classifications and security domains.
• Ensure networking and communications architectures and design support the performance demands of large-scale collective training exercises.

Secure by Design (SbD)

• Apply Secure by Design principles throughout the solution lifecycle.
• Ensure security is embedded from concept through deployment, operation, and capability evolution.
• Collaborate with Security Architects and cyber specialists to support assurance and accreditation activities.
• Support threat modelling, security risk assessments, architectural assurance reviews, and accreditation activities.

Governance & Stakeholder Engagement

• Contribute to Architecture Review Boards, Design Authorities, Change Boards, and technical reviews.
• Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance throughout programme delivery.

Essential Skills and Experience:

Architecture & Engineering

• Proven experience as a Solution Architect within complex Defence, Government, or highly regulated programmes.
• Strong systems engineering and systems integration background.

Requirements Engineering

• Strong understanding of requirements engineering, systems analysis, and requirements management methodologies.
• Experience conducting solution trade studies, architecture assessments, and capability analysis.
• Proven ability to balance operational, technical, security, cost, schedule, and service considerations.

Modelling & Simulation

• Experience designing simulation hosting infrastructures, federation services, distributed simulation environments, and training systems supporting large-scale collective training exercises.
• Strong understanding of Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) architectures.
• Experience designing simulation federations using HLA, DIS, and related simulation standards.
• Experience integrating simulation systems with training, command-and-control, operational CIS, and exercise management systems.
• Experience supporting command-and-staff training, mission rehearsal, experimentation, and operational readiness activities.

Systems Integration

• Experience designing and integrating systems across multiple suppliers, technologies, and operating domains.
• Strong understanding of APIs, middleware, messaging systems, and data integration approaches.
• Experience delivering systems-of-systems architectures and interoperability solutions.

Infrastructure & Hosting

• Experience designing server-based hosting environments, virtualisation platforms, storage solutions, distributed compute infrastructures and resilient enterprise architectures supporting mission-critical services.
• Understanding of virtualisation technologies, container platforms, orchestration frameworks and deployment architectures supporting federated training environments.

Networking & Distributed Compute

• Hands-on experience of enterprise and operational CIS architectures.
• Knowledge of networking, routing, switching, WAN technologies, secure communications, and distributed infrastructures.
• Experience within complex distributed computing environments incorporating enterprise infrastructure, secure operational networks, virtualised platforms, simulation systems, and edge-compute capabilities.
• Experience delivering geographically distributed solutions supporting operational and training environments.

Security & Secure by Design

• Strong understanding of Secure by Design principles and their application within Defence environments.
• Experience designing solutions for classified, coalition, NATO, or mission-critical systems.
• Experience supporting security accreditation, assurance, and risk management activities.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• TOGAF, ArchiMate, SAFe, ITIL4, CISSP or equivalent certifications.
• Experience supporting NATO, coalition, or multinational collective training programmes.
• Experience with Defence modelling and simulation technologies and standards including HLA, HLA Evolved/HLA4, DIS, TENA, and NATO federation standards.
• Experience supporting Exercise Control (EXCON), mission rehearsal, operational experimentation, or collective training delivery.
• Experience developing distributed simulation and federated training architectures.
• Experience with VBS, VR-Forces, or similar simulation technologies.
• Strong understanding of network architecture, routing, switching, WAN optimisation, operational communications, multicast services, and information exchange requirements supporting distributed simulation and collective training environments.
• Knowledge of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and digital engineering practices.
• Experience leading transition, mobilisation, service transformation, or service-continuity activities within managed-service environments.
• Experience working in secure, classified, air-gapped, NATO Secret, or coalition environments.
• Current SC Clearance or eligibility to obtain SC, DV, and/or NATO SECRET clearance.

RTX adheres to the principles of equal employment. All qualified applications will be given careful consideration without regard to ethnicity, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.