Principal Systems Engineer

Location

Templecombe, United Kingdom

Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems. We offer opportunities to learn and develop your career with us.

Thales UK researches, develops, and supplies technology and services that impact lives and keep us safer. We innovate across Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. We support a flexible pattern where possible to suit your lifestyle (part-time, job sharing, home working, or flexed start/finish times).

Our purpose is to be the leading provider of underwater sensor systems and decision superiority, helping navies across the globe keep the world, our friends, our families and all of us safe.

In Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW), we deploy large numbers of sensors on submarines to locate and provide data about other submarines and objects. Our world-leading sonar technology is used across the UK submarine fleet.

The primary purpose of this role is to manage the Systems Engineering Process to company and international standards for a major project, including significant team management responsibility to direct a team of engineers through requirements management definition, design, implementation and validation until delivery of the system. You must be able to provide systems engineering decision authority.

As part of the Thales Systems Engineering process you will interact with the following key roles:

• Engineers at all levels

• Bid team members

• Project team members

• Testing team members

• Installation team members

• Project Planners

• Sales and Marketing

• Supply Chain

• Commercial

• Major Stakeholders / Client

The list below is not exhaustive, nor will individuals be expected to undertake all of them. They are given as a guide as to the expected duties of the grade.

• Develop and manage requirements specifications at both the system and subsystem levels.

• Demonstrate a solid understanding of the development lifecycle and lifecycle products.

• Interface with clients to define the content and format of test specifications.

• Define and authorise test specifications.

• Conduct impact analysis and manage variations.

• Ensure compliance with customer requirements and resolve related issues.

• Define and authorize design descriptions and verification requirements.

• Provide technical advice to the Engineering Group Manager on technical matters and management issues pertinent to the Systems Engineering Group.

• Offer technical direction and leadership to the Systems Engineering community.

• Engage with key stakeholders effectively.

• Establish and maintain a structured Systems Engineering process and activities.

• Provide detailed technical specifications.

• Offer assistance and guidance to Project Systems Engineers regarding their responsibilities and design decisions.

• Prepare resource plans and budgets for the Systems Engineering Group, managing the budget to ensure project objectives are met within financial constraints.

• Approve estimates for project activities and manage the Systems Engineering Group to ensure work is completed on time and within budget.

• Develop and train Systems Engineering personnel to ensure a qualified staff is available to perform and lead the design and requirements development for projects and products, including acceptance requirements.

• Represent the Systems Engineering Group on the change control committee, reviewing change proposals and approving Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) on behalf of the engineering department.

• Stay informed of technical developments both within and outside of the company.

• Identify training, development, and performance needs through the Annual Check-in and Development Check-in processes for the Systems Engineering community under your supervision.

• Assist the Engineering Group Manager in strengthening the engineering capabilities of the team.

This role is continually monitored for performance and typical KPIs include:

• Financial performance of the Systems Engineering team under your control.

• Timely delivery of team objectives, appraisals and development actions.

• Quality of work produced against agreed standards.

• Delivery to timescales.

• Delivery to budget.

• Performance against Thales values.

Skills:

• Able to use a range of IT tools.

• Has a sound ability to use System Engineering tools (e.g. DOORS, Polarion, MBSE, JIRA etc.).

• Has knowledge of configuration control processes.

• Can manage a complex project through a defined design process and tailor CHORUS2 to project needs.

• Can define and use metrics as part of quality assurance and control change to remodel a System Engineering process.

• A working knowledge of project plans.

• Has…