Weapon System Architect

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Weapon System Architect (IAS)
Location: based in Belfast, minimum 3 days/ week in office (hybrid), with <15% travel
Other: permanent, full-time

Would you like to work for a world-renowned department that research, develop and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better and keep us safer? Do you want to be part of a team of leading specialists that are designing solutions that make tomorrow possible, today? Then look no further…

What the role has to offer

• Ability to work with state-of-the-art leading edge technology
• Developing solutions to complex problems on cutting edge defence equipment to deliver enhanced capabilities  
• Working with a highly skilled, dynamic and forward-thinking team
• A growing business with great career opportunities

Our Opportunity

As a Senior System Engineer, you will be designing state-of-the-art Fire Control and Air Defence Systems that deliver world-class performance to meet our customer’s needs. Working within an agile multi-discipline team, responsibilities cover the whole product lifecycle from requirements capture and analysis, evaluating new technologies through to defining the system architecture and behaviour, optimising the design and onto building, testing and verifying that the solution meets the customer’s requirements.

We are interested to talk to capable candidates from many backgrounds to understand what you can bring to the role. We have recently employed mechanical, electrical and software engineers, as well as physicists and others with prior systems engineering experience. A core capability of a Thales Systems Engineer is the ability to understand the full engineering landscape and different backgrounds can complement this in generating understanding from complexity.

Building a Future, we can all trust.

Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems (IAS) UK designs and manufactures a range of cutting-edge technologies ranging from air surveillance and mission planning systems to missile and space propulsion systems. With sites in Belfast, Templecombe and Thorney Island the company specialises in air defence effectors and their integration with weapon systems into various platforms along with the systems to manage and exploit critical mission planning and air surveillance data.

What we offer you

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package designed to support our employees’ wellbeing and professional growth, which includes:

• Performance-related bonus
• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00
• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)
• 24 hours volunteering paid for
• Private healthcare
• Pension scheme
• Life cover
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Gym membership discounts

Main Responsibilities 

• Capture and translate customer, user and business needs into clear system requirements, use cases and functional definitions
• Define and develop system architecture, interfaces, behaviours and flow-down requirements, working closely with technical specialists to optimise performance
• Assess user deployment scenarios and evaluate candidate technologies, including emerging and novel solutions, to inform system design decisions
• Drive system design maturity through trade studies, analysis, prototyping, integration support and complex fault diagnosis
• Lead verification and compliance activities, ensuring requirements are met, while maintaining design documentation and mentoring junior team members

About You

At Thales, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

Ideal Experience & Skills

Essential

• Acquired degree-level qualification in a scientific, engineering or numerate discipline (or equivalent experience), with the ability to obtain and maintain UK SC clearance
• Demonstrated systems engineering expertise across the full lifecycle, including requirements capture, system architecture, design, integration, testing and verification of complex systems
• Proven ability to define, manage and decompose requirements into robust system specifications, architectures, interfaces and behaviours using structured engineering methodologies
• Demonstrated analytical, critical-thinking and problem-solving capabilities, with a track record of making sound decisions and delivering results in complex environments
• Proven communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, collaborate and communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
• Acquired knowledge of systems modelling (e.g. UML, SysML), defence architectures, standards and interface protocols, alongside an understanding of relevant safety, security, environmental and regulatory requirements

Desirable

• Acquired knowledge of Air Defence systems, technologies and their operational application
• Demonstrated ability to perform effectively within multidisciplinary teams, delivering results in pressured and time-sensitive environments
• Achieved Chartered Engineer status, or demonstrated commitment to working towards professional accreditation

Ready to apply your systems engineering expertise to cutting-edge Air Defence and Fire Control solutions? Join Thales and help design, develop and deliver the next generation of mission-critical defence capabilities.

Security Clearance Requirement:

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions.  This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. 

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels.

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.
 

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!