Senior System Engineer

The Chain Company; Apeldoorn; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Saab invites applications for a Senior System Engineer in Apeldoorn, aiming to strengthen the Air Traffic Management Engineering team. You will join a multinational environment, taking ownership of system design and architecture across complex, secure communication systems.

The role requires 5+ years on technical ownership, strong English communication, and a background in Systems, Electrical or Telecommunications engineering. Occasional travel and a hybrid work model are involved.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant engineering field.
• 5+ years of proven experience taking technical ownership in complex systems projects.
• Strong communication skills across customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Fluent in English; Dutch language is a plus.
• Experience with Linux-based environments is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Join a systems engineering team to design, integrate, and verify secure communication systems.
• Take end-to-end technical ownership of system design, architecture, requirements, and integration.
• Lead systems engineering activities across disciplines and manage stakeholder trade-offs.
• Guide other engineers to ensure consistency in design, integration and verification.
• Work with interfaces, suppliers and technologies with long-term impact on performance and maintainability.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements management

V&V

Stakeholder communication

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Systems/Electrical/Telecommunications

Tools

Linux

MBSE tools

Secure communications

Job description

On behalf of our partner Saab, we are looking for a Senior System Engineer to strengthen the Air Traffic Management Engineering team.

Join Saab Air Traffic Management in Apeldoorn and contribute to delivering cutting-edge air traffic control solutions to customers around the world.

This role involves international travel of up to 25%, including regular on-site visits to customers worldwide (typically up to one week per month), alongside a hybrid working model (~60/40).

Your role

• You will join a systems engineering team responsible for designing, integrating, and verifying secure communication systems where reliability, interoperability, and lifecycle performance are critical.
• You take end-to-end technical ownership of system design within complex projects. You are responsible for defining system architecture, driving requirements, and ensuring that solutions meet operational, technical, and lifecycle constraints.
• You lead systems engineering activities across disciplines, align stakeholders, and make trade-offs between performance, cost, schedule, and maintainability.
• You guide other engineers and ensure consistency across system design, integration, and verification.
• You will work on systems involving multiple interfaces, suppliers, and technologies, where decisions have long-term impact on system performance, maintainability, and operational effectiveness.

Your profile

• You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or a comparable field.
• You have at least 5 years of proven experience taking technical ownership in complex systems engineering projects, including system architecture, requirements, and integration.
• You are motivated by technical challenges, eager to grow, and enjoy working with complex software systems in a team-oriented environment.
• You have strong communication skills and ability to work across customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders
• You have strong verbal and written English skills enable you to communicate clearly in both technical discussions and documentation.

We’re looking for someone with experience in:

• Requirements management and system configuration
• System verification and validation (V&V)
• Working with customers and suppliers
• Linux-based environments

Additional experience in any of the following areas is a plus:

• Tactical data links (e.g. Link 16, Link 11, Link 22) or comparable communication systems
• RF and communication technologies (HF, VHF, UHF)
• Secure communication systems
• MBSE approaches and tools
• Messaging systems such as MMHS
• Fluency in Dutch

Please note: This position requires eligibility for security clearance in accordance with applicable regulations and customer requirements.

About Saab

Joining Saab means making an impact together, contributing in our own unique ways. From crafting complex code and building impressive defence and security solutions to simply sharing a coffee with a colleague, every action counts.

Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring mission, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 25,500 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world. Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems. Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations.