Lead RF Systems Engineer

Location(s) : UK, Europe & Africa : UK :
Great Baddow

BAE Systems Digital Intelligence is home to 4,500 digital, cyber and intelligence experts. We work collaboratively across 10 countries to collect, connect and understand complex data, so that governments, nation states, armed forces and commercial businesses can unlock digital advantage in the most demanding environments.

Job Title : Lead RF Systems Engineer

Requisition  : 122354

Location : Great Baddow - Flexible working 2 / 3 days onsite per week

Grade : GG11

Referral Bonus : £5,000

We are seeking a highly experienced and driven Lead RF Systems Engineer / Technical Lead to join our growing capability team focused on development of RF systems. This role is ideal for a systems-level thinker with deep expertise in RF technologies who thrives at the interface of multi-disciplinary teams and excels in shaping innovative system solutions from concept through to demonstrator.

• Technical Leadership :
  Provide technical leadership across Sense & Effect development projects, from early-stage R&D (TRL 2-4) through to advanced technology demonstrators (TRL5 / 6 and beyond).
• Systems Engineering :
  Lead the development of RF system architectures, including trade-off studies balancing performance, cost, time, and risk.
• Multi-Disciplinary Integration :
  Bring together specialists in antennas, RF components, signal processing, electronics, firmware, and software to deliver cohesive system solutions.
• Customer Engagement :
  Represent the technical solution to customers and stakeholders, providing briefings, technical justifications, and system roadmaps.
• Team Collaboration :
  Work closely with the Engineering Manager and Project Manager to align delivery with project milestones and quality standards.
• Innovation :
  Contribute to the development of new RF system concepts, supporting early-stage innovation, proof-of-principle activities, and feasibility studies.
• Mentorship :
  Lead, mentor, and inspire engineers across the team, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

• Strong background in RF systems engineering, particularly in Radar and / or Electronic Warfare domains (or related).
• Understanding of RF subsystems, including antennas, front-end electronics, signal processing chains, and system integration.
• Proven track record of system design, trade-off analysis, and performance modelling.
• Experience developing early-stage concepts into technology demonstrators or operational prototypes.
• Excellent communication skills with experience in customer-facing roles and technical presentations.
• Strong collaboration skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams or acting as a technical authority.

• Knowledge of EM, RF, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and RF simulation / modelling tools.
• Experience with either Radar or electronic warfare techniques and military threat environments.
• Understanding of system-level testing and validation of RF systems.
• Familiarity with defence standards and system engineering frameworks (e.g., DOORS, SysML, NAF).

• Degree (or higher) in Electronic Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer status (or working towards it) is desirable.

• Occasional travel may be required in this role to visit customer sites for demonstrations, installations, handovers or reviews .
• An SC level security clearance is required for this role, and candidates should already have, or be capable of obtaining UK SC clearance.

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.)

that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter…