Test Design Engineer

Thales Group; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Pension scheme

28 days annual leave

Life cover

Job summary

Thales Group is seeking an experienced Test Design Engineer focusing on Test Solutions to define and deliver robust, scalable test architectures for aerospace and defence systems. You will bridge design, integration and customer teams to ensure traceability and compliant testing across the lifecycle.

The role emphasizes leadership in test strategy, automation opportunities, and collaboration with MOD-aligned standards, while offering hybrid work options across UK sites.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Systems Architect / Systems Engineer.
• Strong background in test system design & architecture.
• Experience integrating hardware, software and COTS into test environments.
• Strong stakeholder management and clear communication with customers.
• Ability to work across the full system lifecycle from concept to in-service support.
• Desirable: experience with test automation; knowledge of safety, security and information assurance in defence systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and architecture of test solutions for complex aerospace and defence systems, ensuring compliance with MOD and industry standards.
• Define test strategies, frameworks and architectures to support development, verification, qualification and in-service support.
• Translate requirements into test system requirements and architectures with traceability.
• Ensure test solutions integrate with hardware, software and system environments.
• Collaborate with design, test and programme management teams to maintain lifecycle traceability.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to multidisciplinary teams; contribute to bids and proposals.

Skills

Systems Architect / Systems Engineer

Test system design

Hardware/Software integration

Stakeholder management

Lifecycle knowledge

Test automation (desirable)

Safety & information assurance (def)

Job description

Test Design Engineer### Test Design EngineerApply: Hybrid: Glasgow: Crawley: Reading: Templecombe: Cheadle: Full time: Posted Today: End Date: November 27, 2026 (28 days left to apply): R0313195Location: Glasgow, United KingdomThales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.We are seeking an experienced Test Design Engineer with a focus on Test Solutions to join our engineering function. In this role, you will define and deliver innovative, robust, and scalable test architectures to support the development, verification, and validation of complex aerospace and defence systems.As a key member of the engineering team, you will ensure that our test strategies align with customer requirements (including MOD standards), programme needs, and long-term product sustainment. You will shape the technical direction of test systems across the product lifecycle, working at the interface between design engineering, integration, and our customers. **Location(s):** **Crawley or Reading or Cheadle or Bristol or Glasgow or any other Thales site in the UK** **Key Responsibilities*** Lead the design and architecture of test solutions for complex aerospace and defence systems, ensuring compliance with MOD and industry standards* Define test strategies, frameworks, and architectures to support product development, verification, qualification, and in-service support* Translate system and customer requirements into effective test system requirements and architectures* Ensure test solutions integrate seamlessly with hardware, software, and system environments* Work closely with design engineers, test engineers, and programme managers to ensure traceability and compliance throughout the lifecycle* Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to multidisciplinary engineering teams* Contribute to bid and proposal activity, providing technical input to estimates, schedules, and solution concepts* Engage directly with key stakeholders to ensure alignment with defence standards, policies, and best practices* Drive innovation in test methods, including automation, digital twins, and model-based test approaches **Required Skills & Experience*** Proven experience as a Systems Architect / Systems Engineer* Strong background in test system design and architecture* Experience of integrating hardware, software, and COTS solutions into test* Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to interface with customers* Demonstrable ability to work across the full system lifecycle – from concept through to in-service support **Desirable Skills*** Experience with test automation* Knowledge of safety, security, and information assurance in defence systems **What We Offer*** Opportunity to shape next-generation test systems for critical aerospace and defence programmes* Work on challenging projects with direct impact on UK defence capability* Professional development support, including chartership and advanced training* Hybrid and flexible working options. **Benefits:*** Performance-related bonus* Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00* 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)* 24 hours volunteering paid for* Private healthcare* Pension scheme* Life cover* 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app* Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers* Gym membership discounts **Security Clearance Requirement:**Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a non-ITAR country may be considered. To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels. #LI-DB1At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here. Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!