Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead
Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead

Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead

Full-Time 55000 - 65000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
MASS Consultants

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and coordinate complex test and trials activities in a cutting-edge facility.
  • Company: Join a leading Electronic Warfare Operations Support Group with a diverse team.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, private medical insurance, and career development support.
  • Other info: Work in a supportive culture focused on wellbeing and professional growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment while developing your engineering skills.
  • Qualifications: Experience in line management and coordinating test activities is essential.

The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 £ per year.

25 days annual leave inclusive of up to 3 days Christmas shut-down. Buy or sell up to 5 days annual leave. Annual Wellbeing allowance. Two pension schemes to choose from. Private Medical Insurance + discounts for additional family members. Life Assurance scheme up to 4 x salary. Share Save scheme. Electric/Hybrid Car leasing scheme. Cycle to work scheme. Retail discounts. Career development support.

Come and join our expanding Electronic Warfare Operations Support Group (EWOS) which is made up of 60+ electronic warfare specialists. From all manner of backgrounds, our engineers, scientists, and ex-military personnel combine their experience to help our customers achieve true operational potential and help keep their people and platforms safe.

We are expanding our team to plan and deliver complex test and trials activity within our state-of-the-art test and evaluation facility at our head office in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, in response to increasing programme demand and a higher cadence of test and trials delivery. In this senior role you will provide day-to-day coordination and engineering governance, and line manage a small team of up to 3 engineers to deliver safe, repeatable and high-quality outcomes.

You will coordinate the practical planning and control of test and trials activity: building schedules, coordinating dependencies, managing readiness of assets and facilities, and ensuring the right people, equipment, access, data and documentation are in place at the right time. You will allocate work across the team, remove blockers, and maintain a controlled configuration baseline (plans, procedures, versions/configuration items) to support change control and keep delivery on track.

You will coordinate laboratory-based test and trials activity, leading the team through preparation, execution and post-activity reporting. You will manage risks/issues/dependencies, ensure work is carried out safely and consistently, and ensure results are captured and reported clearly to enable timely customer decisions.

As the team's line manager, you will support capability development through coaching and regular 1:1s, set clear objectives, manage performance, and create an inclusive environment where people can do their best work. Working with a high degree of autonomy, you will be key to the success of major projects, while being supported by our on-site MASS teams (in-house specialist engineering and support teams).

Working alongside the Principal Test & Trials Engineer, you will help ensure test and trials delivery is aligned with agreed engineering standards and priorities. You will work closely with customers and internal stakeholders to shape delivery plans, agree acceptance criteria, and keep test and trials activity progressing through clear communication, robust engineering process and disciplined documentation. Familiarity with the Electronic Warfare (EW) domain is valuable to help you understand context and priorities, but this role is not primarily about deep technical specialism.

The invaluable experience you'll bring, to help us achieve more:

  • Line management experience, with the ability to support, motivate and develop engineers through clear objectives, coaching and regular feedback.
  • Proven experience coordinating test and trials activity, including planning, scheduling, and managing dependencies in a laboratory or representative system environment.
  • Strong engineering approach: able to create and maintain clear plans, procedures and checklists, and drive work to completion through good preparation and follow-through.
  • Strong delivery governance skills: able to track and manage risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies (RAID), escalate appropriately, and keep stakeholders aligned.
  • Comfortable working with multi-disciplinary engineering teams (hardware/software/networks) and coordinating across interfaces without needing to be the deepest technical expert.
  • Some exposure to the Electronic Warfare (EW) domain (through industry, military, or adjacent programmes) to understand terminology, context and stakeholder priorities.
  • Strong organisation and documentation skills: producing and maintaining plans, minutes/actions, procedures, controlled configuration baseline, and evidence packs; able to communicate clearly with customers and stakeholders.

Desirable:

  • Experience using planning and delivery tools (e.g. MS Project, Jira/Confluence, Excel trackers) to manage schedules, actions and dependencies.
  • Working knowledge of systems engineering and test governance (e.g. acceptance criteria, V&V planning, interface control notes, readiness reviews).
  • Experience developing repeatable procedures, checklists and safe systems of work, including running readiness reviews and lessons learned sessions.
  • Experience with configuration and document control (e.g. version control such as Git or controlled document repositories) and maintaining a controlled configuration baseline.
  • Understanding of computer networking and networked systems (enough to plan activities, ask the right questions, and coordinate subject matter experts (SMEs) when required).
  • Experience working in an agile delivery environment and coordinating work across multiple stakeholders.
  • Broader EW domain experience (e.g. threat/mission context, sensor/effector integration, or EW test & evaluation) and an understanding of how effects can be represented and assessed.
  • Experience coordinating external/internal contributors (e.g. suppliers, facilities, security, IT) to enable delivery of test and trials activity.
  • STEM degree (or equivalent experience) with strong practical engineering mindset.

Wellbeing is at the core of our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential. Our people are important to us, and we take pride in our wellbeing programmes and policies that support individuals including, mental health first aiders and readily available support through our extensive employee assistance programme.

Our Non-negotiables:

  • Due to the highly secure nature of the projects that you will be involved with, you must be:
  • A UK National and eligible to work in the UK.
  • Eligible to obtain and maintain a UK Government SC-level security clearance.

Apply today to see how working for MASS could work for you!

Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead employer: MASS Consultants

Join our dynamic team at MASS in St Neots, where we prioritise employee wellbeing and professional growth. With a strong focus on collaboration and innovation, we offer extensive benefits including generous annual leave, private medical insurance, and career development support, all within a state-of-the-art facility. Our inclusive work culture fosters an environment where you can thrive while contributing to critical electronic warfare operations that keep our customers safe.
MASS Consultants

Contact Detail:

MASS Consultants Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even hit up LinkedIn. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead role.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to test and trials coordination. Think about how you can showcase your line management experience and engineering governance skills. We want to see you shine!

✨Tip Number 3

Don’t forget to research the company culture and values. Knowing what makes us tick at StudySmarter will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re a great fit for our team. Plus, it’ll impress the interviewers!

✨Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Let’s make it happen!

We think you need these skills to ace Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead

Line Management
Test and Trials Coordination
Planning and Scheduling
Risk Management
Engineering Governance
Documentation Skills
Multi-disciplinary Team Collaboration
Electronic Warfare Knowledge
Configuration Management
Systems Engineering
Agile Delivery
Communication Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Stakeholder Engagement
Use of Planning Tools (e.g. MS Project, Jira)

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead role. Highlight your line management experience and any relevant test and trials coordination you've done. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about this role and how your background in engineering and test governance makes you a great fit. Keep it engaging and personal – we love to see your personality!

Showcase Your Organisation Skills: Since this role involves a lot of planning and coordination, make sure to highlight your organisational skills in your application. Mention any tools you've used like MS Project or Jira, and how you've successfully managed schedules and dependencies in the past.

Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at MASS Consultants

✨Know Your Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of test and trials activity, especially in a laboratory environment. Familiarise yourself with the key terms and processes related to Electronic Warfare, as this will show that you understand the context of the role and can communicate effectively with stakeholders.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

Since this role involves line management, be prepared to discuss your experience in supporting and developing engineers. Think of specific examples where you've set clear objectives, provided coaching, or created an inclusive environment for your team. This will demonstrate your ability to lead effectively.

✨Be Organised

Bring along examples of your planning and documentation skills. Whether it's a project plan, a checklist, or a risk management document, having tangible evidence of your organisational abilities will help you stand out. Discuss how you maintain a controlled configuration baseline and manage dependencies.

✨Ask Insightful Questions

Prepare thoughtful questions about the company's projects, team dynamics, and future plans. This not only shows your interest in the role but also gives you a chance to assess if the company culture aligns with your values, especially regarding wellbeing and support for employees.

Senior Systems Test & Trials Lead
MASS Consultants

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