Senior System Engineer

Lead RF Systems Engineer / Technical Lead

Location: Essex, Great Baddow (Hybrid)

Type: Permanent

Clearance: Eligible for SC (UK nationals only)

An advanced engineering team is looking to appoint a Lead RF Systems Engineer to take ownership of systems engineering across a number of complex, early-stage programmes.

This is a high-impact role where you’ll sit at the centre of a multidisciplinary environment, bringing together electronics, mechanical, RF, and processing elements into coherent system architectures. You’ll be the focal point for requirements, system definition, and integration across projects that sit towards higher TRLs, moving towards demonstrator and real-world capability.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading system architecture definition across RF-based programmes, from concept through to demonstrating
• Translating complex technical requirements into structured system-level artefacts, including requirements flow-down, interface definition, and verification planning
• Acting as the central link across multidisciplinary teams, bringing together hardware, firmware, software, and mechanical engineering
• Driving trade-off studies across performance, cost, and risk
• Owning requirements management, ensuring clarity, traceability, and delivery across the full lifecycle
• Supporting verification and validation (V&V), including test strategy and system-level assurance
• Working closely with engineering and project leadership to align technical delivery with programme milestones
• Engaging directly with stakeholders, presenting technical approaches and system roadmaps
• Mentoring junior engineers and supporting peer reviews, contributing to a strong engineering culture

Your Background

• Strong background in systems engineering within RF, radar, EW, or complex electronic systems
• Proven ability to define system architectures and manage requirements across the full lifecycle
• Experience working across multidisciplinary engineering teams (electronics, mechanical, software)
• Solid understanding of RF subsystems and/or broader electronic system design
• Track record supporting programmes through integration, testing, and validation
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills – able to bring clarity and direction across teams
• Comfortable operating autonomously and taking ownership of system delivery
• Experience mentoring or guiding junior engineers
• Exposure to radar, electronic warfare, or sensing systems
• Familiarity with system modelling tools (e.g. MATLAB / Simulink)
• Experience working within structured systems engineering frameworks (e.g. DOORS, SysML)
• Background in developing systems from early-stage R&D through to demonstrator level
• Understanding of defence environments or complex regulated programmes