AI Assurance Lead

About Thales UK

Thales is a global leader in technology solutions for critical domains, including aerospace, defence, transport, and digital security. Our UK teams create innovative solutions, enabling safer, smarter societies. We are committed to responsible AI development and deployment in all our solutions, especially within cort

AIx – Thales’ AI accelerator.

As the AI Assurance Lead, you will champion the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of AI assurance practices across Thales UK’s AI and machine learning projects. You will ensure that the AI solutions developed and deployed within cort

AIx adhere to high standards of ethics, safety, reliability, and legal compliance, supporting the business in delivering trusted, robust AI-enabled systems. You’ll act as a key partner to the Chief AI Officer, advising on assurance strategies for both legacy and new systems.

Crawley, United Kingdom In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you;

whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

• Develop and Implement AI Assurance Frameworks:
  Create and maintain comprehensive assurance frameworks for AI systems, ensuring alignment with internal and external standards (e.g. ISO / IEC, NIST, UK / EU, UK Defence standards and regulations).
• Governance and
  
  Risk Management:
  
  Lead AI risk assessments and compliance checks, identifying and mitigating risks related to safety, ethics, data privacy, robustness, and explainability.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
  Collaborate with engineering, product management, legal, and operational teams to ensure AI assurance requirements are captured and met throughout project life cycles.
• Audit and Review:
  Manage independent assurance audits, drive continuous improvement through lessons learned, and report key findings and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Training and Awareness:
  Develop and deliver AI assurance training, promoting a culture of responsible innovation throughout Thales UK’s AI community.
• Reporting & Documentation:
  Lead the creation and maintenance of assurance documentation, evidencing compliance for internal and external stakeholders.
• External Engagement:
  Represent Thales UK in relevant industry forums, regulatory engagements, and standardisation activities related to AI assurance and trustworthiness.

• Proven experience in AI / ML assurance, validation, governance or compliance within highly regulated or safety‑critical domains.
• Deep understanding of AI / ML technologies and their risk landscape (bias, explainability, robustness, etc).
• Sound knowledge of national / international AI assurance standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Demonstrable expertise in risk management, audit, and quality assurance methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage technical and non‑technical audiences, including senior stakeholders.
• Experience leading cross‑functional teams within complex organisations.
• Relevant degree (e.g. computer science, engineering, mathematics, information security); advanced or professional qualifications an advantage.

• High integrity and commitment to ethical innovation.
• Proactive, solution‑oriented, and impact‑focussed.
• Collaborative leadership…