Principal Systems Engineer - CUAS Technical Assurance Lead

Expleo is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to support an urgent Counter-Uncrewed Air System programme within an MOD delivery environment. The role will provide technical leadership across requirements, supplier assurance, test and evaluation, verification and validation, safety artefacts, airworthiness considerations and future engineering roadmap development. 

This is a senior technical role suited to an engineer who can operate across systems engineering, aviation regulation, trials governance, production-readiness awareness and quality assurance. The successful candidate will help move a novel capability from emerging technology into a fieldable, supportable and assured operational system.

This role is based full-time on-site, working directly alongside customer engineering and assurance teams throughout programme execution. 

• Lead definition and management of technical requirements, including development and maintenance of the System Requirements Document or equivalent requirements baseline. 
• Develop, manage and assure the test, trials, verification, validation and evaluation approach, including proportionate test and evaluation planning documentation. 
• Provide technical assurance of supplier data, technical evidence, integration outputs and acceptance evidence. 
• Advise senior technical stakeholders on engineering, airworthiness, safety and assurance matters within the scope of the programme. 
• Integrate engineering activity across suppliers, MOD stakeholders, regulators, airworthiness authorities, range authorities and heads of establishment. 
• Support safe and compliant supplier testing in accordance with local processes, aviation regulations and programme governance. 
• Identify and analyse technical hazards and contribute to safety artefacts required to enable testing, trials and operational deployment. 
• Establish engineering management plans and a future-phase engineering roadmap, including considerations for manufacturability, production scaling, configuration control, quality assurance and through-life supportability. 
• Provide clear technical decision records, engineering risk assessments and evidence-based recommendations to support acceptance and delivery governance. 

• Degree or equivalent professional experience in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Defence Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production Engineering, Quality Engineering or a related technical discipline. 
• Eligible to obtain and maintain the required UK security clearance and MOD site access. 
• UK national, where required by the customer role constraints. 
• Chartered Engineer status, or evidence of working towards professional registration, is desirable. 
• INCOSE certification, formal requirements engineering qualification, safety/airworthiness certification training, or test and evaluation training would be advantageous. 

• Strong systems engineering capability, including requirements definition, requirements management, interface management, integration planning and verification strategy. 
• Experience of aviation, aerospace, defence or similarly regulated engineering environments. 
• Practical experience of test, trials, experimentation, verification, validation or evaluation programmes. 
• Ability to review and challenge supplier technical evidence, test evidence, engineering claims and readiness arguments. 
• Working knowledge of aviation regulations, regulator engagement, airworthiness governance or regulated test environments. 
• Understanding of safety artefacts, technical hazard identification and the relationship between safety evidence, test activity and operational acceptance. 
• Ability to operate with senior stakeholders, technical authorities, suppliers and multidisciplinary teams under delivery pressure. 
• Clear technical writing and verbal communication, including production of decision-quality engineering documents and briefings.
• Awareness of manufacturing readiness, production scaling, configuration management and quality assurance as part of capability transition from prototype to fielded system. 

• Experience with Counter-UAS, UAS, autonomous systems, uncrewed systems or novel sensing/effects/integration programmes.
• Familiarity with DOSR, MAA, CAA, DE&S, MOD test ranges, flight trials, aviation safety or air systems governance
• Experience supporting FAT, SAT, TRR, design reviews, supplier readiness reviews, qualification activities or acceptance events.
• Experience working with suppliers developing novel systems and supporting transition from prototype/demonstrator through integration, acceptance and deployment.
• Experience of manufacturing, production engineering, production scaling, quality assurance, supplier quality or product industrialisation in an aerospace or defence context.
• Familiarity with configuration management, PLM, requirements tooling, test evidence management or formal verification/validation evidence capture.
• Previous experience operating as Lead Systems Engineer, Principal Engineer, Technical Assurance Lead, Airworthiness Engineer, Trials Engineer or Technical Authority support.

• Extensive engineering experience in aerospace, defence, air systems, UAS, systems integration, manufacturing/production assurance or safety-critical technical delivery. 
• Demonstrable experience in a senior systems engineering, technical assurance, test and evaluation, airworthiness, integration or supplier governance role. 
• Experience taking complex or novel systems through requirements definition, integration, trials, assurance, acceptance and operational introduction. 
• Experience operating in multidisciplinary delivery environments where engineering decisions must balance capability, safety, regulatory compliance, schedule pressure and supplier maturity. 
• Experience engaging with senior customer, regulator, supplier and technical authority stakeholders. 

• Collaborative working environment – we stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients and our peers through good times and challenges  
• We empower all passionate technology loving professionals by allowing them to expand their skills and take part in inspiring projects   
• Expleo Academy - enables you to acquire and develop the right skills by delivering a suite of accredited training courses  
• Competitive company benefits
• Always working as one team, our people are not afraid to think big and challenge the status quo 

• As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we have committed to:
• Ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
• Communicating and promoting vacancies
• Offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job
• Anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required
• Supporting any existing employee who acquires a disability or long term health condition, enabling them to stay in work at least one activity that will make a difference for disabled people

“We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age”. 

We treat everyone fairly and equitably across the organisation, including providing any additional support and adjustments needed for everyone to thrive