Test Engineer - Defence

TN United Kingdom; Bedford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a dynamic engineer to join their team in Bedford. This role involves working closely with a team of skilled professionals to manage and execute vehicle testing projects, ensuring compliance with military standards. You will be responsible for developing test scenarios, writing reports, and liaising with customers to meet their specific requirements. The ideal candidate will possess a solid engineering background, project management skills, and a willingness to learn and adapt. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge military vehicle projects while enjoying a supportive and inclusive work environment.

Benefits

Life Cover

Healthcare cashback plans

Generous holiday benefits

Contributory pension schemes

Employee assistance support services

Access to discounts via Perkz reward scheme

Recognition awards

Family friendly policies

Qualifications

• Recent engineering graduates are preferred, with a strong focus on vehicle testing.
• Project management experience is essential for coordinating multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and execute test activities while managing project plans.
• Develop and improve processes, ensuring compliance with standards.

Skills

Vehicle testing

Data acquisition understanding

Knowledge of sensor types

Knowledge of vehicle mechanical systems

Project management

Comparative vehicle assessment

Understanding of military projects

Vehicle network and comms systems (CAN)

Education

Recent graduate in engineering

Chartered engineer status (preferred)

Tools

MS Office

Job description

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• Working within a team of engineers and technicians to co-ordinate and execute test activity, creating and updating project plans to ensure tests meet the scope.
• Supporting Principal and Senior Engineers in testing and capability development
• Liaison with the customer and test authorities to ensure test plans meet their specific requirements
• Fully understand the customer requirements of test programs and communicate the requirements clearly to other staff.
• Develop/specify and continuously improve existing processes, procedures, equipment or facilities.
• Ability to project manage multiple projects for multiple customers simultaneously.
• Provide off-site support when required
• Develop test scenarios with customer and other departments
• Make engineering judgements regarding the performance of the customer test vehicles and quality of test data.
• Write test reports, report results and conclusions customers and support them in investigation work to resolve any questions
• Develop safety cases and prepare risk assessments
• Conduct analysis and validate data and lead investigations into sources of errors, resolve technical issues.
• Develop test capabilities within the military vehicle subject area.
• Be responsible for maintaining a working environment in accordance with health and safety standards.
• Act in accordance with the code of conduct for UTAC group staff at all times.
• Adaptability to situations and a willingness to work beyond the job description on occasion (i.e. driving test vehicles, manual handling)

Experience

• Vehicle testing
• General data acquisition understanding and ability
• Knowledge of sensor types and applications
• Knowledge of vehicle mechanical systems
• Knowledge of the standards and regulations required to support the military vehicle approval process
• Project management of various vehicle system requirement and compliance programmes
• Comparative vehicle assessment and benchmarking
• Experience writing system requirements for vehicles
• Understanding of military projects
• Vehicle network and comms systems (i.e. CAN).

Job Description

• Working within a team of engineers and technicians to co-ordinate and execute test activity, creating and updating project plans to ensure tests meet the scope.
• Supporting Principal and Senior Engineers in testing and capability development
• Liaison with the customer and test authorities to ensure test plans meet their specific requirements
• Fully understand the customer requirements of test programs and communicate the requirements clearly to other staff.
• Develop/specify and continuously improve existing processes, procedures, equipment or facilities.
• Ability to project manage multiple projects for multiple customers simultaneously.
• Provide off-site support when required
• Develop test scenarios with customer and other departments
• Make engineering judgements regarding the performance of the customer test vehicles and quality of test data.
• Write test reports, report results and conclusions customers and support them in investigation work to resolve any questions
• Develop safety cases and prepare risk assessments
• Conduct analysis and validate data and lead investigations into sources of errors, resolve technical issues.
• Develop test capabilities within the military vehicle subject area.
• Be responsible for maintaining a working environment in accordance with health and safety standards.
• Act in accordance with the code of conduct for UTAC group staff at all times.
• Adaptability to situations and a willingness to work beyond the job description on occasion (i.e. driving test vehicles, manual handling)

Experience

Essential

• Vehicle testing
• General data acquisition understanding and ability
• Knowledge of sensor types and applications
• Knowledge of vehicle mechanical systems

Desirable

• Knowledge of the standards and regulations required to support the military vehicle approval process
• Project management of various vehicle system requirement and compliance programmes
• Comparative vehicle assessment and benchmarking
• Experience writing system requirements for vehicles
• Understanding of military projects
• Vehicle network and comms systems (i.e. CAN).

Qualifications

• Recent graduate from an engineering discipline or similar scheme.
• Chartered engineer status or working towards (preferred)
• Full UK Drivers licence – additional categories (HGV, PSV desirable).

Core competencies:

• Sound engineering background.
• Willingness to learn
• Able to deal directly with customers
• Ability work well within a team
• Proficient with MS Office
• Solid verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
• Adapt at organisational, analytical and problem solving skills
• Good understanding of Safety & Environmental management processes

Personal Behaviours:

• Confident communicator and an agent for change
• Highly motivated team player
• Punctual and well organised with a methodical approach
• Good communications skills with well noted documentation and work instruction.
• Mentality to go further for the project and look for value-add situations.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Self-motivated / forward thinking / right first-time attitude with the willingness to learn.
• Able to use a zero-blame culture to improvement of self and facility.
• Flexible and adaptable
• Problem solving mentality, an agent for change, establishing, driving, and embracing industry best practice.
• Flexibility to support test activity both off-site and outside of normal working hours.
• Flexibility to travel inside and outside UK as and when required. There is likely to be 30% of work completed off site within the UK.

Essential requirements:

• Willing to undergo a Criminal Disclosure check.
• Full UK driving licence

Owing to the sensitive nature of the works involved in these specialist defence projects, candidates will be required to hold, or be able to hold, valid security clearance (SC) and in order to do so will need to be:

• British National (residency for the last 5 years)
• Hold a UK Passport

Additional Information

For you, as a potential UTAC team member, we believe that the international and diverse nature of our business combined with the passion, energy and friendliness of our people create a great place to work. UTAC is proud to be an equal opportunities employer, valuing inclusion and supporting our people to be themselves and at their very best.

By joining us you will gain access to a broad range of learning relevant to your role and personal development, as well as exposure to leading technologies and expertise.

Our reward and benefit programmes are designed to support our people with competitive and locally tailored packages combined with support for individual health and wellbeing both inside and outside of work.

In the UK this includes;

• Life Cover
• Access to a wide range of discounts and offers via the Perkz reward scheme
• Recognition awards linked to our UTAC values of Expertise, Innovation and Integrity.
• Healthcare cashback plans
• Generous holiday benefits
• Contributorypension schemes
• Attractivefamily friendly policies; maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, flexible working.
• Access to a variety of employee assistance support services.

Learn more about UTAC and what and how we do what we do at www.utac.com

Candidates for positions at UTAC must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the country the role is based in. Immigration visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Note to Recruitment Agencies:

UTAC do not accept speculative applications from agencies for our open positions and any submissions made will not be accepted and no fees will be accepted or paid in respect of speculative CVs received.