Principal Engineer in Orpington

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Principal Systems Engineer at our Farnborough site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds.

The Role

As a Principal Systems Engineer, you’ll provide Principal Systems Engineering and or Technical Leadership on complex products, technology or project activities across QinetiQ’s Science and Technology Business. Examples include novel technology demonstrators or products developed under MOD’s rapid acquisition framework which include Directed Energy systems.

Day-to-day, you’ll lead or co-ordinate high level engineering activities across a major programme of work and provide advanced professional systems engineering to a complex and high value system. Working closely with Portfolio Technical Leads and Programme Managers, you may act as the programme Technical Lead or be a System Design Authority providing peer reviews, alongside being an Independent Technical Assurer across a broader portfolio.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Applying advanced professional systems engineering skills to high value or complex problems
• Leading through-life systems engineering activities on complex programmes, products or technology developments, from requirements to certification and delivering artefacts
• Engaging with customers/partners and broader stakeholders to ensure the overall systems solution is coherent and in line with the broader enterprise, lifecycle approach and commercial context
• Shaping proposals and devising solutions using sound technical, management and leadership skills
• Ensuring robust engineering governance, peer review and independent assurance activities
• Sustaining and enhancing your own professional systems engineering skills; including mentoring relationships, championing best practice and continuous improvement

Essential experience of the Principal Systems Engineer:

• Applying systems engineering processes through the V-cycle
• Robust understanding of systems engineering and its applicability to development of demonstrators, prototypes and products
• Broad experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams through complex system delivery
• Ability to lead teams through complex challenges, with transparency of status and risk profile
• Well-developed communication and facilitation skills with the ability to exchange complex information and ideation across broad stakeholder community
• Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and or conflicting stakeholder needs

Essential qualifications for the Principal Systems Engineer:

• Degree/Master’s level qualification and Professional Registration or equivalent experience

This role is 37 hours per week based at our Farnborough site with a minimum average site attendance of three days per week. Travel to other QinetiQ and customer sites will be expected.

At our Farnborough site exciting work takes place at our state-of-the-art facility, with high-energy laser technologies, our 5m pressurised wind tunnel which has a simulation capability that is unique in the UK and our large research and development projects is a real hub of creativity, research and innovation. Join our talented teams of Engineers, IT & Cyber Specialists, Project Managers, Group Functions Teams and many more to provide future defences in the UK.

Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.

Recruitment Process:

At QinetiQ we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible and welcoming workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We believe that a diverse mix of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences drives innovation and leads to better outcomes for our people, customers and communities. We encourage applications from all candidates and are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing. One of our recruitment team will contact you.

Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which means factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in.

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential.

Our Benefits:

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days
• Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme
• Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community