Systems Engineering Lead

Our client, a leading defence technology company, is seeking an experienced Systems Engineering Lead to join their team in Buckinghamshire on an initial 6-month contract.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring full lifecycle systems engineering experience, ideally within complex defence domains such as RF systems, Electronic Warfare (EW), or Defence Communications.

Key responsibilities include:
 

• Lead systems engineering activities across the full lifecycle: requirements capture, design, development, integration, verification, validation, and acceptance.
• Work closely with multi-disciplinary engineering teams to deliver high-integrity defence solutions.
• Define and manage system architectures, interfaces, and design documentation.
• Engage with stakeholders, customers, and suppliers to ensure requirements are well understood and satisfied.
• Support the preparation of bids, proposals, and technical documentation.
• Ensure rigorous configuration management and compliance with relevant standards.
• Lead system-level integration and testing activities, supporting test planning, execution, and reporting.

Required Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience delivering end-to-end systems engineering within a defence, RF, Electronic Warfare, or Communications environment.
• Proficient in IBM DOORS for requirements management.
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering best practices and standards (e.g., ISO 15288, ARP4754).
• Experience in systems architecture, interface definition, and design documentation.
• Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is desirable.
• Comfortable working in a classified, safety-critical, or secure environment.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, team leadership, and communication skills.

Role will require candidates to be eligible for SC clearance.

The role will require the successful candidate to be onsite circa 4 days per week. Role is inside IR35 paying circa £75 per hour.