RCS Engineer | Technical Lead – RSM Facility in Royal Tunbridge Wells

Working within a small team of engineers primarily at the Thales Underwood Quarry site in Wells, you will supply Radar Cross‐section (RCS) measurement services to the UK Ministry of Defence and industry partners. The team is responsible for conducting both indoor and outdoor RCS measurement tasks to enable characterisation of customer‐supplied assets/platforms of varying physical size and expected signature level. You will develop your expertise and understanding of low‐observable radar signatures and their measurement methods, learning alongside the RCS Engineering Lead.

Key Development Responsibilities

• Preparation of the measurement test plan.
• Evaluation of measurement targets and their associated measurement requirements.
• Evaluation of measurement methodologies and recommendation of solutions.
• Processing of measurement data to meet customer‐designated requirements.
• Analysis and interpretation of radar signature data.
• Communication and reporting of outputs to customers.
• Investigate and identify target/range anomalous returns as part of the RSM team.
• Liaise with customers directly and within meetings to thoroughly identify target requirements aiding in selection of the optimal measurement setup.

Supporting Role

• Support the Mechanical Engineer in the preparation and design of the target and its support structure.
• Support the RCS Trials Team Leader in the preparation of bids.
• Support the Radar Engineer in the configuration and operation of the instrumentation radar.
• Support the Service Delivery Manager in the safe running of the Underwood Quarry site.
• General support activities.

Behaviours

• Creative problem solver with a hands‐on mentality.
• Team player – keen to contribute to making the project and every task a success.
• Adaptable to changing conditions and circumstances.
• Careful and conscientious in work duties.
• Self‐motivated.
• Keeps abreast of future signature measurement and disruptive technologies.
• Willing to undertake additional roles and responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of a small satellite Thales facility.

Skills, Qualifications And Experience

• Holder or able to achieve security clearance to Developed Vetting (DV) status.
• Holder or able to achieve Working at Height accreditation.
• Holder or able to achieve IPAF accreditation.
• Holder or able to achieve Forklift accreditation.
• Holder or able to achieve Overhead Crane and Slinging accreditation.
• Qualified to degree level (or qualified by experience) in Physics or Electrical/Electronic Engineering, ideally with a specialisation in Electromagnetic theory.
• Desirable or willingness to learn MATLAB.
• Technical competence in the planning and execution of technical measurement trials activity and associated responsibilities.
• Effective stakeholder management and communication skills.

Security Clearance Requirement

Due to the nature of the work that Thales undertakes, many roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a sole British National from birth and to achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if already held, but if not, the successful applicant must undergo, achieve, and maintain SC clearance prior to commencing employment. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance. To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years' residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.