Principal Systems Engineer
Job description
- Job grade: Grade 7
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: CDO - S&T Delivery - Digital Advantage - Cyber
- Type of role: Digital, Information Technology, Science
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location, Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner premises for at least 80% of your working time.
About the job
Job summary
Are you a systems engineering professional who thrives on solving complex technical challenges and turning ambitious concepts into operational capabilities?
We are looking for a Principal Systems Engineer to join our team and help transform cutting-edge Defence and Security research into innovative, real-world capabilities. Working at the forefront of cyber and technology development, you will play a key role in shaping complex systems, influencing technical strategy and ensuring solutions meet operational needs.
As a senior technical leader, you will work with stakeholders across government, industry, academia and international partners to develop enterprise architectures, define system requirements and provide expert systems engineering guidance throughout the capability lifecycle. You'll lead the resolution of complex technical issues, drive interoperability across systems and ensure solutions remain robust, flexible and sustainable for future needs.
This role offers the opportunity to influence strategic decisions, mentor developing engineers and contribute to some of the UK's most important defence and national security challenges. You will work in multidisciplinary teams, helping to bridge the gap between research, engineering and operational delivery while ensuring programmes are delivered safely, securely and effectively.
If you enjoy tackling complex problems, providing technical leadership and developing innovative solutions that have real impact, we would love to hear from you.
This role is eligible for an additional specialist allowance of £2758 annually subject to meeting extended onboarding requirements. The role may be eligible for additional skills allowances depending on the skills and experience of the applicant.
Job description
What you'll do
- Translate complex stakeholder requirements into clear system requirements and enterprise architectures.
- Lead systems engineering activities across complex programmes and capability development projects.
- Provide technical leadership and expert advice to multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
- Develop and mature system and system-of-systems architectures to support strategic objectives.
- Define standards, interfaces and open systems approaches that improve interoperability and future flexibility.
- Analyse complex technical information and communicate findings, recommendations and risks clearly to a range of audiences.
- Identify, assess and mitigate technical risks to ensure successful project delivery and operational effectiveness.
- Support capability development activities across the CADMID lifecycle.
- Ensure technical products are delivered to the required quality, safety and security standards.
- Mentor and develop engineers and technical specialists, sharing knowledge and promoting engineering excellence.
- Build strong collaborative relationships with customers, government partners, industry and academia.
- Drive continuous improvement in systems engineering practices, tools and methodologies.
For more information on the job responsibilities, please see the job profile attached below.
Person specification
What we're looking for
Qualifications
- Degree in Systems Engineering, Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics or another relevant STEM discipline, or equivalent professional experience. https://dstlgovuk-my.sharepoint.com/personal/glmatthewman_dstl_gov_uk/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc=%7B1171A27E-5CE9-4C7B-AAED-C10F5F6DB910%7D&file=20260925-Principal_Systems_Engineer_Role_Profile_L6_V1.0-O.docx&action=default&mobileredirect=true
Technical Skills and Knowledge
Candidates should demonstrate experience in at least two of the following:
- Providing technical leadership across complex systems engineering projects.
- Developing and maturing system-of-systems architectures.
- Applying Systems Engineering and Systems Thinking principles within complex technical environments.
- Applying systems engineering approaches to the development and assurance of defence or cyber capabilities.
- Understanding how software engineering contributes to integrated systems, including hardware and embedded systems.
Experience
- Experience solving complex, non-routine technical problems and producing clear technical assessments.
- Experience applying Systems Engineering principles across the capability lifecycle.
- Knowledge of capability development, acquisition or procurement environments.
- Experience providing technical leadership within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Experience assuring technical products and supporting delivery of high-quality engineering outcomes.
Please review the attached job description for more detailed information
Important Information:
Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats.
For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.
This role will require Develop Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Changing and Improving
- Leadership
Benefits
Benefits
Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:
Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.
Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).
Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.
Where you work: This role requires a minimum of 80% on site attendance.
Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.
Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.
Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk and we will do all we can to support you.
At the application stage, we will assess your submitted application against the essential criteria set out in the job profile.
Sifting will take place week commencing the 23rd of November with interviews taking place from the 30th of November.
Your interview will consist of behavioural and technical competency-based questions. You will also be required to deliver a 10-minute presentation. Further details for the presentation will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Cyber Recruitment Team
- Email : cyberrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk
Further information
Attachments
| Principal Systems Engineer L6 Opens in new window (pdf, 228kB) |
| Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 4978kB) |
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