Adaptation Specialist

NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.

Closing Date: 26/10/2026

Reporting to an Adaptation Team Leader the Adaptation Specialist will conduct adaptation design, development or test activities in accordance with Integration & Adaptation (I&A) BMS Processes.

• Responsible for capturing and impact-assessing the relevant Work Orders, ADDs, ATC Requirements Documents and ACCRs relating to the adaptation development and testing needs of I&A.
• Design and implement effective and accurate adaptation solutions for development and test activities, based on agreed requirements.
• Produce adaptation documentation to support design, development and test activities.
• Review work items and act as a co-ordinator for work produced by other team members.
• Act as a focal point to provide technical expertise for one or more systems.
• Investigate and diagnose problems and propose solutions.
• Provide estimates to the Adaptation Team Leader as required to achieve a particular change and contribute to the planning activity.
• Identify and feedback, in a timely manner, any issues that might impact adaptation deliveries.
• Support the Adaptation Team Leader in identifying and implementing improvements to the adaptation change process.
• Review and update documentation as directed by the Adaptation Team Leader.
• Provide input into the design, procurement and maintenance of tools and facilities required to develop and test adaptation.
• Attend meetings with Stakeholders, Customers or Suppliers as directed by the Adaptation Team Leader, in addition to departmental meetings.
• Provide training and mentoring for new or more junior members of the team, in accordance with the I&A Training Plan.
• Maintain yearly competency in at least one adaptation area as identified in the I&A Training Plan.
• Support the Adaptation Team Leader in maintaining the highest level of customer service.

• Expected to work unsupervised, on one or more assigned Development or Verification and Validation Tasks, following the NMS Manage Adaptations Process and any relevant Work Instructions, to ensure they are delivered to the agreed quality, cost and schedule.
• Has responsibility for delegating and supervising human resources under their control in order to achieve project goals.
• As technical lead, able to co-ordinate others and work unsupervised, with the autonomy to sign off and approve deliverables
• For assigned domain determine cost, resource and timescales for system/requirement changes.

• Capturing and impact assessing requirements and producing the adaptation design, development or test documentation, ensuring all requirements have been met.
• Ensuring that all activities of Adaptation development or testing have been conducted rigorously and documented correctly for acceptance, in accordance with departmental Work Instructions
• As a customer facing representative of the department, it is expected that the suitable candidate will have the ability to quickly develop relationships with the customer, understand their needs and identify effective adaptation solutions.

• The job holder is expected to hold, as a minimum, an HNC (or an equivalent qualification) in an Engineering related discipline and have relevant engineering experience
• Proven experience in the engineering aspects of large real time systems, preferably in safety related environments and / or Air Traffic Management…