Head of Engineering

Head of Engineering – Autonomous Systems

Competitive salary and benefits package. Further details on application.

We’re looking for an experienced Head of Engineering to lead the engineering function developing advanced autonomous UAV systems for demanding defence and aerospace applications.

This is a senior leadership role spanning technical leadership, engineering delivery, organisational development and people management. You’ll lead a cross-functional team across systems, software, electronics, mechanical, autonomy/GNC, modelling, integration and test, and you’ll have the technical depth to challenge decisions, set direction and lead experienced engineers with credibility.

This is a chance to shape the engineering capability of a fast-growing technology business: building the organisation, putting proportionate processes in place, and keeping teams focused on delivering robust, high-performance products at pace.

What you’ll do

• Lead the multi-disciplinary engineering function and take overall responsibility for engineering delivery
• Align technical activity with product, programme and business priorities
• Define and grow the engineering organisation: structure, technical leadership, recruitment and capability
• Provide technical leadership across the product lifecycle, concept and architecture through development, integration, verification, flight test and productionisation
• Set technical direction, plans and priorities with your technical leads
• Manage dependencies and interfaces between disciplines
• Establish proportionate engineering governance, design reviews and decision-making for a fast-moving scale-up
• Maintain oversight of architectures, requirements, interfaces, verification strategies and key technical decisions
• Balance performance, schedule, cost, technical risk, manufacturability and future scalability
• Identify significant engineering risks and drive mitigation and technical closure
• Work closely with Product, Programme, Operations, Manufacturing and Supply Chain
• Take products from prototype and development into repeatable, supportable, manufacturable systems
• Build a culture of technical excellence, ownership, pace and pragmatic problem-solving
• Recruit, coach and develop engineers and engineering leaders
• Represent the business with customers, partners and suppliers
• Contribute to product and technology strategy and engineering investment priorities

What we’re looking for

• Degree or equivalent experience in Systems, Aerospace, Electronic, Mechanical or Software Engineering, Robotics, Physics or a related discipline
• Significant experience in complex multidisciplinary product development
• Proven experience leading cross-functional engineering teams or an engineering function
• Technical credibility with senior engineers and specialists
• Experience developing autonomous systems, UAVs, UxVs, robotics or other intelligent electromechanical products
• Experience in defence, aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems or another safety/mission-critical environment
• Experience delivering products that combine hardware, software, sensors, communications and control
• Strong systems engineering: requirements, architecture, interfaces, integration and verification
• Experience taking products through physical integration, test and evaluation, not purely desk-based development
• Strong delivery: planning, prioritisation, resource allocation, technical risk and programme execution
• Experience in a start-up, scale-up or rapidly growing technology organisation
• Experience building teams and improving engineering ways of working
• Strong communication, leadership and stakeholder management

Particularly relevant (advantageous, not essential)

UAV/UxV development and test; autonomous navigation, guidance and control; robotics; GNC, flight-control or autopilots; sensors, sensor fusion, computer vision or AI/ML; RF communications, datalinks or GNSS/GNSS-denied navigation; embedded electronics and software; MBSE; HIL/SIL simulation; defence product development, qualification or certification; prototype-to-NPI and low-rate production; scaling engineering organisations; establishing processes and governance in an early-stage or scale-up environment.

The kind of leader you’ll be

Hands-on and close to the technology. Comfortable with incomplete information and pragmatic decisions. Able to move between detailed technical issues and programme, product and business considerations. Collaborative across disciplines. Delivery-focused without unnecessary bureaucracy. Willing to challenge assumptions and resolve difficult technical or organisational issues. Calm under pressure, adaptable, and motivated by building both high-performance products and a high-performance engineering organisation.

Eligibility

Due to the nature of the work with the UK MOD, applicants must be a British Citizen (or dual UK national with British citizenship) and eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC).

Working pattern

We value working together in person and expect the role to be office-based for the majority of the week, with a pragmatic approach to start/finish times and some remote working.

Package

Competitive salary and benefits package. Further details will be shared with candidates during the application process.

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