Snr Principal Systems Engineer - Modelling & Simulation– Unmanned Systems

Job Overview

We are looking for an experienced Snr Principal Systems Engineer – Modelling & Simulation – Unmanned Systems to play a key technical leadership role in the design, development, test and demonstration of complex unmanned air systems. This role requires a strong background in modelling, simulation, flight controls, and autonomy, and involves working across the full lifecycle from customer requirements through to in‑field demonstrations.

• Lead modelling, simulation and control activities for complex unmanned systems, helping to turn mission concepts into validated, field‑ready capability.
• Design high‑fidelity 6‑DOF digital models of complex unmanned systems, accurately representing vehicle dynamics, behaviours and mission performance.
• Use Model‑Based Systems Engineering to inform, drive and verify system design decisions.
• Develop, test, tune and deploy flight‑critical control laws and autonomy functions for unmanned aircraft.
• Create resilient trajectory guidance, mission tasking, and GNSS‑denied navigation algorithms.
• Build simulation environments that bring together vehicle dynamics, control laws, payloads, sensors, communications and navigation models.
• Support Software‑in‑the‑Loop, Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop and full‑scale aircraft systems testbed activity, including Iron Bird development and validation.
• Implement and compile control and autonomy code onto embedded systems.
• Define and integrate onboard data communication interfaces, including CAN bus, serial and Ethernet networks.
• Develop human‑control interfaces for test pilots and ground operators managing unmanned systems.
• Support experimental flight testing, including test procedures, live control tuning, post‑flight analysis and real‑time data review.
• Design rapid analysis tools and scripts to process UAS flight logs during trials and debugging activity.
• Diagnose, fault‑find and repair complex UAS onboard control systems in both lab and field environments.
• Review and contribute to systems architectures, CONOPS and simulation‑based test scenarios.
• Identify technical risks and develop practical mitigation plans.
• Support the use of export‑controlled technologies, including designs subject to US ITAR controls.
• Act as a technical mentor, guiding junior engineers through design, verification, validation, system test and demonstration activities.

• Complex UAS architecture and mission system development.
• Advanced autonomy and guidance approaches for contested or GNSS‑denied environments.
• Multi‑asset CONOPS simulation and representative vignette testing.
• Embedded deployment of control and autonomy code.
• Flight test campaigns, field demonstrations and rapid engineering support in live environments.
• Aerospace and defense engineering governance, including safety, certification, export control and customer requirements.
• Leadership of specialist engineering teams delivering high‑quality technical output to time, cost and quality expectations.

• A degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics, or equivalent experience.
• Significant relevant experience in complex aerospace, defense, robotics, autonomy or unmanned systems environments.
• Expert capability in MATLAB and Simulink.
• Strong experience using Stateflow for state‑machine driven system design.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink projects, including requirements, version control, data dictionaries, test harnesses and model validation.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink code generation for embedded processor deployment.
• Experience integrating and validating UAV flight control computers, autopilots or flight management systems.
• Experience creating automated scripts for test data processing and analysis.
• Experience developing simulation model test harnesses for verification and validation against requirements.
• Experience with SIL and HIL test design linked to 6‑DOF dynamic models.
• Experience with complex unmanned control systems architecture design from requirements and CONOPS.
• Experience defining and implementing onboard system data interfaces such as CAN bus, serial connections and Ethernet networks.
• Experience with FMEA and FHA for unmanned systems, including…