Full-Time

Principal Systems Engineer

Updated on 8/23/2026

Ultra

Ultra

1,001-5,000 employees

Delivers defense technology for rapid decisions

No salary listed

Cheltenham, UK

Hybrid

Hybrid home/office working may be available.

UK Top Secret Clearance Required

Bachelor's

Category
Aerospace Engineering (2)
,
Required Skills
Microsoft Office
Visio
MATLAB
Word/Pages/Docs
Simulink
Excel/Numbers/Sheets

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Requirements
  • A minimum of 5 years of previous Systems Engineering experience.
  • A good engineering or science degree is preferred.
  • Ability to operate within a multidisciplinary team.
  • Ability to work independently and within a team, identify project or task needs, and take initiative to undertake necessary work.
  • Strong attention to detail, particularly regarding requirements and specification structure, applicability, and language.
  • Understanding of how solutions influence the requirements set.
  • Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with multidisciplinary teams, internal company authorities, and customers.
  • A degree in an engineering or science discipline.
  • Awareness of electronic, software, or mechanical engineering development.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Visio, Excel, and Word.
  • Experience with configuration management tools.
Responsibilities
  • Develop solutions for the military land and aerospace industries using a systems engineering approach.
  • Hold discussions with customers to elicit key stakeholder requirements.
  • Develop and derive customer requirements into realizable product requirements.
  • Perform requirements-based verification and validation of product requirements using manual and scripted methods.
  • Produce interface control documents, system design documents, and other supporting documents.
  • Control and manage engineering change throughout the development lifecycle.
  • Prepare technical proposals, including estimations and presentations.
  • Provide technical oversight and mentoring to other Systems Engineers within a project team.
Desired Qualifications
  • Coordinate and provide technical leadership for a multidisciplinary project team developing and delivering complex mechanical, electronic, and embedded software solutions.
  • Experience developing safety-critical solutions in accordance with DO-178, DO-254, or IEC 61508.
  • Familiarity or experience with MATLAB and Simulink.
  • Familiarity with change-control and problem-reporting tools and processes.

Ultra Group provides advanced defense and security technology solutions, partnering with governments and defense agencies to address mission-critical challenges. Its products collect and deliver the right data to the right people at the right time, helping decision-makers act quickly in high-stakes situations. The company builds and deploys tailored systems that integrate data, analytics, and communications to support rapid, informed decisions, especially against near-peer threats and other technologically advanced adversaries. Unlike competitors, Ultra Group emphasizes ethical, responsible, and sustainable practices and relies on long-term government contracts to deliver customized, mission-focused solutions. Its ultimate goal is to make the world safer by using technology to improve decision speed and accuracy in defense and security operations.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Post IPO Equity

Headquarters

London, United Kingdom

Founded

2018

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Booz Allen bought Ultra I&C Mission Solutions on June 22, 2026.
  • Airbus bought Ultra Cyber in March 2026, monetizing cybersecurity and reducing portfolio clutter.
  • Canadian Forces selected Archer troposcatter technology in March 2026 for operational trials.

What critics are saying

  • Lockheed Martin's July 2026 Ultra Maritime purchase strips most revenue and talent.
  • The May 2026 SFO bribery settlement forces three years of compliance reporting.
  • If remaining Ultra I&C sales stall, Advent owns a hollow tactical-communications shell.

What makes Ultra unique

  • Ultra I&C still sells tactical communications, crypto, and mission software for contested environments.
  • Lockheed Martin's July 2026 Ultra Maritime purchase validates undersea warfare leadership.
  • Ultra's cleared defense customer relationships and classified programs block easy entry.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Flexible Work Hours

Hybrid Work Options

Paid Vacation

Professional Development Budget

Mental Health Support

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-6%

1 year growth

-6%

2 year growth

-6%
Turk & Strauss
Mar 19th, 2024
Ultra Electronics Data Breach Investigation

Recently, Ultra Electronics discovered that it had experienced a data breach in which sensitive personal information in its systems may have been accessed and acquired.

Executive Mosaic
Oct 10th, 2023
Ultra I&C Appoints Dawn Ohlson as VP Engineering for Ultra Cyber

Ultra I&C appoints Dawn Ohlson as VP Engineering for Ultra Cyber.

Military Embedded Systems
Sep 14th, 2023
Secure encryption, reduced SWaP in demand from DSEi attendees

To enable such trusted mobility Ultra is also getting close to releasing a new product called MAXAM, that is a rebrand of their existing BID\2510\11.

GovCon Wire
Aug 7th, 2023
Bradford Powell appointed C2I president at Ultra intelligence & communications; Jon Rucker quoted

Bradford Powell, a defense industry veteran, has joined Ultra’s intelligence and communications business as president of the command, control and intelligence segment.

GovCon Wire
Jul 21st, 2023
Clif Basnight joins Ultra I&C as strategic technologies VP

Clif Basnight, a 17-year U.S. Army veteran and former vice president at CACI International (NYSE: CACI), has joined Ultra Intelligence & Communications as VP of strategic technologies.