Lead RF Systems Engineer in Chelmsford

BAE Systems Digital Intelligence is home to 4,500 digital, cyber and intelligence experts. We work collaboratively across 10 countries to collect, connect and understand complex data, so that governments, nation states, armed forces and commercial businesses can unlock digital advantage in the most demanding environments.

Role Purpose

We are seeking a highly experienced and driven Lead RF Systems Engineer / Technical Lead to join our growing capability team focused on development of RF systems. This role is ideal for a systems-level thinker with deep expertise in RF technologies who thrives at the interface of multi-disciplinary teams and excels in shaping innovative system solutions from concept through to demonstrator.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Provide technical leadership across Sense & Effect development projects, from early-stage R&D (TRL 2-4) through to advanced technology demonstrators (TRL5 / 6 and beyond).
• Systems Engineering: Lead the development of RF system architectures, including trade-off studies balancing performance, cost, time, and risk.
• Multi-Disciplinary Integration: Bring together specialists in antennas, RF components, signal processing, electronics, firmware, and software to deliver cohesive system solutions.
• Customer Engagement: Represent the technical solution to customers and stakeholders, providing briefings, technical justifications, and system roadmaps.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with the Engineering Manager and Project Manager to align delivery with project milestones and quality standards.
• Innovation: Contribute to the development of new RF system concepts, supporting early-stage innovation, proof-of-principle activities, and feasibility studies.
• Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and inspire engineers across the team, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong background in RF systems engineering, particularly in Radar and / or Electronic Warfare domains (or related).
• Understanding of RF subsystems, including antennas, front-end electronics, signal processing chains, and system integration.
• Proven track record of system design, trade-off analysis, and performance modelling.
• Experience developing early-stage concepts into technology demonstrators or operational prototypes.
• Excellent communication skills with experience in customer-facing roles and technical presentations.
• Strong collaboration skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams or acting as a technical authority.

Desirable Skills

• Knowledge of EM, RF, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and RF simulation / modelling tools.
• Experience with either Radar or electronic warfare techniques and military threat environments.
• Understanding of system-level testing and validation of RF systems.
• Familiarity with defence standards and system engineering frameworks (e.g., DOORS, SysML, NAF).

Qualifications

• Degree (or higher) in Electronic Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer status (or working towards it) is desirable.

Further Information

Occasional travel may be required in this role to visit customer sites for demonstrations, installations, handovers or reviews. An SC level security clearance is required for this role, and candidates should already have, or be capable of obtaining UK SC clearance.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Division overview: Capabilities

At BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, we pride ourselves in being a leader in the cyber defence industry, and Capabilities is the engine that keeps the business moving forward. It is the largest area of Digital Intelligence, containing our Engineering, Consulting and Project Management teams that design and implement the defence solutions and digital transformation projects that make us a globally recognised brand in both the public and private sector. As a member of the Capabilities team, you will be creating and managing the solutions that earn us our place in an ever changing digital world. We all have a role to play in defending our clients, and this is yours.