IT Operations Engineer

OpenWorks Engineering expands into US market. After over a decade of supporting US defense and security organizations, OpenWorks opens regional headquarters in Virginia and announces plan for Detroit manufacturing facility ASHBURN, Virginia, Sept. 22, 2026 - OpenWorks Engineering, a global leader in C-UAS, air defense, and surveillance technology, today announces the launch of its United States regional headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, and future plans to expand its manufacturing footprint on American soil with a facility in Detroit, Michigan. OpenWorks is deepening its presence in this market in response to growing US demand for its Autonomous Vision Systems solutions, as well as strengthening its relationships with existing customers and integration partners across the country. As part of this strategic expansion by OpenWorks, Chris Bigwood has been appointed as the company's new Executive Vice President responsible for business development and corporate strategy in North America. He joins from Clear Align where he was previously Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and has close to 30 years' experience within the defense industry. Chris will also spearhead the future opening of the production facility in Detroit, one of the country's top hubs for engineering and manufacturing talent. The Detroit facility is expected to open within 2026. Founded in Northumberland, United Kingdom over a decade ago, the expansion is in response to exceptional growth at OpenWorks, an early pioneer of intelligent and autonomous optics for C-UAS, with its non-ITAR technology solutions having a trusted reputation in simplifying integration across US and Allied defense and security programs: * Rapid adoption of its systems: The company has seen 4x growth from 2025 to mid-2026 across the adoption of its products. * Specifically, Vision Flex, a modular, easily deployable solution that provides high-performance surveillance, tracking and classification capabilities, has seen a 2.75x increase in production capability over the last year. * OpenWorks' products are widely used in the US market, and the team recently trained the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) elite operators on its technology to support operational readiness. * Heavy investment in R&D: OpenWorks has continually invested in its engineering capabilities and ongoing product development to address rapid changes within CUAS technology, investing over $2.7 million (£2 million) in R&D activities in the last year, including heavy collaboration with universities to further innovation in autonomous vision systems and leading-edge artificial intelligence. * Increase in company size: Since 2024, its team has also expanded from a headcount of 26 to 125 today. While the company now has a new office in the US, it is no stranger to the country. Today's announcement builds on a long track record of over a decade of supporting US customers and partners. Since its inception, the team has nurtured long-standing collaborations with leading US-based security and defense firms, including Thinkom, Echodyne, Epirus, Anduril Industries, Clear Align, Fortem Technologies, ARDEC, Thales USA, Pratt Miller Defense, and more. In addition, OpenWorks' SkyWall Patrol, one of the world's first handheld UAS capture devices, has also been used to protect three US Presidents, including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama, and the team has worked side-by-side with US companies to secure some of the world's highest-profile events, including The G7 Summit, World Economic Forum, and recent 2026 FIFA World Cup. "This expansion is a natural next step in our mission to continue to protect the territory and airspace of NATO Nations and their Allies. As engineers-first, we are excited to have a physical location in a market that is so passionate about increasing homegrown manufacturing and engineering excellence," said OpenWorks Engineering CEO Chris Down. "Over the last decade, we have fostered long-standing, trusted relationships with U.S. end-users, integrators and system partners. This headquarters is a milestone in furthering our commitment to them, and a growing range of customers with increasing demand for C-UAS and Air Defense capabilities." About OpenWorks Engineering OpenWorks Engineering is a global leader in C-UAS, air defense, and surveillance technology, specializing in modular autonomous vision systems and physical drone capture devices. The operationally proven Vision family of autonomous vision systems, Vision Flex, Vision Pace, and Vision Guard, deliver ultra-high-performance real-time detection, tracking, identification and targeting of the dynamic threats at long range, no matter how contested the environment or fast-moving the threat. Founded in North East England in 2015, the team of engineers were early pioneers in the C-UAS industry with the development of SkyWall Patrol, one of the world's first handheld UAS capture systems. Rooted in the belief that products should never stand still, they are constantly evolving their mature, field-proven solutions to stay a step ahead of emerging threats. OpenWorks has locations in Northumberland, United Kingdom and Ashburn, Virginia and is trusted by leading defense and security organizations in NATO and Allied countries worldwide. To learn more, visit: https://openworksengineering.com/.

Industry and academia partnership strengthens North East's growing space sector. OpenWorks is partnering with the North East space communications accelerator (NESCA) at Northumbria University to support a Gimbal-Stabilised Optical Communications project, led by Dr Amna Riaz. Dr Amna Riaz, a Post-doctoral Research Associate in the Space Technology Group at Northumbria University, has led the Gimbal-Stabilised Optical Communications for Multi-Domain Applications project, advancing one of the biggest challenges in laser-based space communications; maintaining a precise optical link between moving platforms. Supported by NESCA, the project will develop a flight-ready prototype capable of delivering reliable, high-speed optical communications for both space and security applications. A key strength of this project is partnership with OpenWorks Engineering, whose expertise in precision stabilisation, intelligent optical tracking and autonomous systems will help translate cutting-edge academic research into a commercially viable technology. By combining Northumbria University's research excellence with OpenWorks' proven engineering capabilities, the collaboration aims to accelerate the development of robust optical communication systems with applications across the space and security sectors. "We are excited to be working with Dr Amna Riaz, Professor Eamon Scullion and the wider Northumbria University team through the NESCA programme. By combining Northumbria's optical communications expertise with OpenWorks' precision positioning and tracking technologies, we have a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of long-range sensing and tracking, and to develop expertise that will translate into applications far beyond security whilst also exploring new thinking to counter malicious dynamic threats." Rory O'Hagon - Head of Sales at OpenWorks "Laser communication systems are only as effective as their ability to stay precisely locked on target, especially when operating across moving platforms. This is where OpenWorks Engineering's expertise in precision tracking and stabilisation is so valuable. Through this partnership, we are combining our FOCUS optical communications terminal with OpenWorks' ruggedised gimbal platform to move the technology beyond the laboratory and towards practical deployment. Together, we are bringing two complementary areas of engineering together to develop a capability that can support future space, airborne and ground-based optical communications." Dr Amna Riaz - Postdoctoral Researcher at Northumbria University This industry-academic partnership illustrates the purpose of NESCA. Bringing together researchers and innovative businesses to fast-track technologies with real-world impact, strengthen the North East's growing space sector and create opportunities for future commercialisation and regional economic growth.

Inspiring tomorrow's engineers through hands-on STEM challenges. OpenWorks recently partnered with Newcastle University and the North East STEM Foundation (NESF) to help inspire the next generation of engineers through an engaging, hands-on workshop focused on innovation, problem-solving and product development. More than 160 students from secondary schools across the North East attended the event at Newcastle University. Designed to give young people a practical insight into STEM careers, the workshop challenged students to think like real engineers, introducing them to some of the technical and design challenges that teams face when developing products for real-world applications. Throughout the session, its team shared insights into the engineering and manufacturing sector, helping students understand how classroom learning can translate into exciting career opportunities and the wide range of roles involved in bringing innovative solutions to life. During the workshop, students were tasked with developing a drone capture system inspired by SkyWall Patrol, its handheld net capture system designed to safely intercept drones and protect people. Working in teams, students were encouraged to apply their creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills to develop their own concepts, mirroring the processes used by its engineers and technicians every day. "It was fantastic to engage with over 160 students from schools across the North East, sharing insight into the work OpenWorks Engineering Ltd do at OpenWorks and the range of different careers available within engineering and manufacturing. Students then took part in a hands-on activity that mirrored some of the challenges its technicians tackle every day, putting their problem-solving skills, teamwork and attention to detail to the test. Events like this are incredibly important in helping young people gain a greater understanding of the opportunities available to them, encouraging them to consider future career pathways and inspiring the next generation of engineers, technicians and innovators who will play a vital role in the future of STEM industries." Loren Debnam - Recruitment Manager at OpenWorks