Systems Architect

Systems Architect

Location: Thales Templecombe, England, 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.

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.

Primary Purpose of the Role

To manage the Systems Engineering Process to company and international standards for defined packages of work and to provide line management and technical leadership to Systems Engineers.

The Systems Architect typically works with a team of engineers to define what will be designed, how it will perform, and how it will be determined that it is working correctly.

Principal Relationships

• Designers at all levels
• Bid team members
• Project team members
• Testing team members
• Installation team members
• Project planners
• Sales and marketing
• Supply chain
• Commercial team members

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

• Convert requirements into conceptual designs and prepare associated documentation by performing operational analyses, simulations and technical trade‑off studies evaluating alternative design configurations and functional features.
• Have a good understanding of the development lifecycle and lifecycle products.
• Interface with the client to gain approval of test specifications and host acceptance testing activities.
• Help develop and execute Test Specifications, including:
• Support the development of test plans and test strategy documents.
• Support the development of test specifications, working from system requirements.
• Execute test specifications according to test plan and project schedule.
• Record and/or authorize results of test execution.
• Maintain quality target/standard.
• Be able to create and/or authorize outline designs from requirements using a variety of design toolsets.
• Create new concepts or modify existing concepts to fulfil requirements where necessary.
• Prepare system & subsystem requirement specifications, interface requirements, and test requirement documents by analysing, decomposing, modelling and refining customer requirements.
• Prepare system operational plans and reports that explain how the equipment being developed meets requirements. Operational design limits are evaluated and defined; performance analyses and simulations are developed and performed to support the above.
• Perform technical/engineering tasks to define system design and subsystem requirements details.
• Analyse and simulate as necessary to identify design feasibility and drive requirements.
• Supervise staff by defining their work, coaching them on how and what to prepare, monitoring progress and directing them on priorities.
• Propose work package estimates and descriptions based on knowledge of the work and project requirements, ensuring compliant solutions at optimum cost are identified.
• Develop, implement and maintain tools relevant to the Systems Engineering function. Manage the assessment of relevant tools.
• Define or propose updates of processes and standards covering the work and its products based on knowledge of systems engineering.
• Keep abreast of technical development in relevant domain (e.g. sonar systems) both within and outside the company.
• Manage the production of quality metrics to measure the soundness of the System Engineering processes under your control.

Key Performance Indicators Against Responsibilities and Tasks

• Quality of work produced against agreed standards
• Delivery to timescales
• Delivery to budget
• Performance against Thales key values
• Performance against mandatory training

Skills

• Able to use a range of IT tools (e.g. MS Office, MS Visio, etc.).
• Has a sound ability to use system engineering tools (e.g. DOORS, System Architect, JIRA).
• Has a working knowledge of configuration control.
• Can manage a project through a defined process and is able to tailor CHORUS2 to project needs.
• Can define metrics as part of quality assurance & control.
• Working knowledge of project plans.
• Has a working knowledge of Engineering Safety Management.

Experience

• The Systems Engineers are the technical focal point for the System Engineering process and must resolve all issues, problems, questions and conflicts in the entire system. This requires frequent handling of new and unusual issues therefore a proven record of working in a Systems Engineering environment is required.
• The post holder should have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate at all levels in the spoken and written word. A good outward appearance, self‑motivation and the ability to work under pressure are vital.
• The success of the Systems Engineering job family relies on the interaction of its engineers at all levels, therefore evidence of team working is required.

Values & Behaviours

• Innovate – Be motivated to search for novel and unique design solutions.
• Team working – Maximise the use of the wider Thales community to produce winning solutions.
• Develop people – Be prepared to share your ideas and experience with the wider Thales engineering community.
• Focus on customers – Be driven to deliver quality solutions to clients.
• Safety – Totally embrace the Thales safety culture to provide a safe and healthy working environment for all.
• Ethics – Thales employees must be exemplary in their ethical conduct and social responsibility.
• Job holders will be expected to perform in line with the Thales Code of Practice, Policies and Procedures.

Desirable Qualifications and Certification

• HNC/HND/Engineering Degree or equivalent.
• Have attained, or working towards an appropriate professional status or equivalent.

Financial / Budgetary Responsibility

• The post holder may be expected to deliver designs/projects to an agreed budget.

Security

In line with Thales\’ Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

Career Opportunities

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Inclusion

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro‑diverse applicants or those with a disability or long‑term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid‑to‑senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

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