Systems Engineer - Nuclear Hardening

Airbus Defence and Space; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing

Pension scheme

Share options

Car leasing scheme

Free onsite parking

Tax-free technology scheme

Discounted shopping

Hybrid working

Job summary

Airbus Defence and Space Limited in Portsmouth is seeking a Systems Engineer with Radiation and Nuclear Hardening experience to work on MOD/SATCOM projects. You will contribute to end-to-end design and validation, ensuring robust performance in harsh environments and secure communications hardware, with a focus on lifecycle integrity.

The role offers a hybrid working arrangement, collaborative teams, and opportunities to influence defense-grade solutions that meet customer expectations and

Qualifications

• Radiation hardening experience at the systems level, including design and development.
• Understanding how radiation impacts communications equipment.
• Verification and validation (V&V) experience.

Responsibilities

• Join a friendly and collaborative team. Utilise the Buddy system and training to understand Airbus’s products.
• Support the Systems team in designing, developing and capturing end‑to‑end needs while identifying the solution boundaries.
• Elicit and validate requirements for Nuclear Hardening and lifecycle considerations.
• Identify mitigations to NH requirements based on installation environment and context.
• Lead engagement with customers and test houses to define and agree the NH approach.
• Deliver safe systems that minimise costs and maximise performance and reliability across the product life cycle.

Skills

Systems engineering

Radiation hardening

Nuclear hardening

V&V

Communications hardware

Job description

Job Description

SECURITY CLEARANCE: Eligibility to gain SC Security Clearance, ideally Developed Vetting (DV)

TRAVEL REQUIRED: Couple of times a year

LOCATION: Portsmouth

TYPE: Full time

What's In It For You

• Financial Reward: Competitive salary, annual profit share, contributory pension, share options, car leasing scheme, free onsite parking, tax‑free technology scheme, discounted shopping and much more
• Work / Life Balance: 37 hour week, flexible working around core hours, hybrid working, up to 2 additional days per month as TOIL
• Personal Development: Personalised development plan and unlimited access to 10,000+ E‑learning courses, internal mobility including international opportunities
• Health & Wellbeing: Wellbeing benefits (including 24/7 online GP and mental health support), Employee Assistance Programme, discounted family health / dental insurance / eye tests, cycle‑to‑work scheme, on‑site canteen and coffee shop, lunchtime pilates
• Family and Caregiving: Life assurance, enhanced pay for parental leave (23 weeks at 100% pay), adoption / shared parental / caregiving leave
• Inclusive Environment: Wellbeing room, Multi‑faith room, Employee Representative Groups (Gender, LGBTQ+, International, Generational, Disability, Social & Cultural Diversity, Neurodiversity)

There are no core hours on Friday afternoons. Employees may use this flexibility at their discretion, provided they fulfil their contractual working hours and meet business needs (such as urgent deadlines or client requirements).

About The Role

Due to new MOD, Government and SATCOM projects and expanded workload, we are looking for a Systems Engineer with Radiation Hardening / Nuclear Hardening experience. You’ll be joining a fantastic, knowledgeable and supportive team and work on stable and long term projects. You’ll be able to see, in person, how your decisions and work impacts the end‑to‑end products manufactured onsite in clean rooms.

How You Will Contribute To The Team

• Join a friendly and collaborative team. Utilise the Buddy system and training to understand Airbus’s products and how they contribute to the world
• Support the Systems team in designing, developing and capturing end‑to‑end needs and expectations whilst identifying the boundary of the solution to be developed
• Elicit and validate requirements for Nuclear Hardening whilst considering the complete system lifecycle
• Identify mitigations to the NH requirements based on installation environment
• Identify responses to the Nuclear Hardening requirements based on evaluation of NH processes in the context of a military fixed ground installation
• Produce Nuclear Hardening analysis and mitigation plans as appropriate, including any relevant test plans
• Lead the engagement with the customer and test houses to fully define and agree the approach around Nuclear Hardening
• Deliver safe systems which minimise operational costs and maximise performance and reliability throughout the product life‑cycle
• Design and define possible architectures, in collaboration with IS/IT specialists, considering the functions and other requirements (constraints and trade‑offs)

About You

• Enjoys working with complex technical solutions and learning from both technical and non‑technical audiences
• Genuinely passionate about keeping defense communications active and safeguarding equipment in harsh environments
• Radiation Hardening / Nuclear Hardening experience at systems level, including design and development
• Understanding of how radiation impacts communications equipment
• Verification and validation (V&V)

Not a 100% match? No worries! Airbus supports your personal growth with customised development solutions.

How we can support you

Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways, including part‑time. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need and we’ll always do our best to accommodate your request.

Please let us know if you need us to make any adjustments for the selection process – you can share this with your Talent Acquisition Partner if you are invited to interview. Examples may include (but not exclusive to) accessible facilities; auxiliary aids; room layout, etc. Any information disclosed will be treated in the strictest confidence.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Airbus UK will offer an interview to any applicant that considers themselves to have a disability or long‑term condition under the Equality Act 2010 and meets the minimum criteria of the role (as set out in the job advert). To ‘opt in’, just select the option during your application submission and your application will be considered accordingly.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company

AIRBUS Defence and Space Limited

Employment Type: Permanent

Experience Level: Professional

Job Family: Sub‑system development

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Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to [e-mail].

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.