Mechanical Engineer - RCS Trials

Wells, 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.

Working within a small team of engineers primarily at the Thales Underwood Quarry site in Wells to supply Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurement services to the UK Ministry of Defence and industry partners. The team is responsible for conducting both indoor and outdoor RCS measurement tasks to enable characterisation of customer‑supplied assets/platforms of varying physical size and expected signature level. The Mechanical Engineer will develop their expertise in the specification, design and build of target support structures and range facilities for radar signature measurements, as well as preparation and treatment of measurement targets and supporting structures to minimise RCS returns.

• Understanding of RCS measurement requirements and the specific requirements this imposes upon mechanical design.
• Practical workshop and spray skills and ability to liaise with sub‑contractors.
• Support in the performance of measurement tasks.
• Communication/reporting of outputs to customers.

• Assembly/modification of customer assets in line with their instructions.
• Operation of mechanical workshop area.
• Spraying of electrically conductive coatings and other specialist materials.
• Design and manufacture of the target support and handling structures to meet individual measurement tasks requirements.
• Preparation and definition of lifting plans to ensure the safe practice of moving customer assets and measurement support equipment.
• Liaising with sub‑contractors on design and manufacture of target supporting structures.
• Design and build of the mechanical supporting and environmental protection structure for the radar antenna farm to meet individual measurement task requirements.
• Investigate/identify target/range anomalous returns.
• Liaising with customers directly and within meetings, to properly identify target measurement requirements aiding identification of optimal supporting structures and target treatments to meet their requirement.

• Support the RSM Engineer in the preparation of the Task Measurement Plan.
• Support the RSM Engineer in the processing of measurement data.
• Support the RCS Trials Team Leader in the preparation of Bids.
• Support the RCS Engineer in the preparation of the Task Measurement Plan.
• Support the Radar Engineer in the operation of the radar.
• Support the Service Delivery Manager in the safe running of the Underwood Quarry site.
• General support activities.

• Creative problem solver, with a hands‑on mentality.
• Team player – keen to contribute to making the project and every task a success.
• Able to change easily and adapt to different conditions and circumstances as the current task requires.
• Care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties.
• Self‑motivated.
• Keeping abreast of future signature measurement and disruptive technologies.
• Willing to undertake additional roles and responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of a small satellite Thales facility.

• Practical workshop skills and ability to liaise with sub‑contractors in aid of the design and manufacture of target supporting structures.
• Holder or able to achieve security clearance to Developed Vetting (DV) Status.
• Holder or able to achieve Working at Height accreditation.
• Holder or able to achieve IPAF.
• Holder or able to achieve Forklift accreditation.
• Holder or able to achieve Overhead Crane and Slinging accreditation.
• Qualified to degree level (or qualified by experience) in Physics or Mechanical Engineering ideally with a specialisation in Electromagnetic theory.
• Experienced in the use of 3D modelling packages, i.e. ACAD / ProE, for the preparation of drawings for the manufacture of aids for measurement tasks.
• Technical competence in the planning…