Salary Range
£93,000 - £116,000 Plus Competitive Benefits + Bonus
Job Reference Number
18868BR
Be part of a team delivering the next generation of secure military communications satellites for the UK Ministry of Defence. This work provides resilient, high-performance connectivity for the UK, its allies and Defence personnel worldwide, playing a critical role in protecting national security as space becomes more contested and demand for secure data continues to grow.
Joining Lockheed Martin also means helping to shape significant investment in the North East space sector, with more than £100 million proposed to support high-skill jobs, advanced manufacturing and long-term economic growth. Opportunities include potential satellite manufacturing in County Durham and collaboration with NESST – the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre at Northumbria University – helping to build a strong pipeline of talent, learning and innovation.
This is your chance to work on mission-critical technology, develop cutting-edge skills and build a meaningful career, while delivering lasting impact for the region and the nation.
The Role:
We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineering, Integration & Test (SEIT) leader to support the development and delivery of advanced satellite and ground systems programmes in the UK.
This is a high-impact technical leadership role responsible for guiding systems engineering, integration, verification and validation activities across the full programme lifecycle — from architecture and development through integration, test and delivery.
You will work closely with senior leadership, customers, suppliers and multidisciplinary engineering teams to ensure successful programme execution while balancing technical, schedule and business priorities.
The role requires strong systems engineering expertise, programme leadership capability and the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and executive stakeholders.
The successful candidate will lead the UK-based SEIT team and play a key role in the delivery of complex space systems and mission capabilities.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and coordinate systems engineering, integration and test activities across satellite and ground system development programmes, including:
Managing and evolving the system requirements baseline throughout the programme lifecycle,
Leading system integration, verification and validation planning and execution,
Developing and maintaining system integration and test strategies, plans and procedures,
Maintaining system architecture models, technical artefacts and design documentation,
Defining and tracking Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) and programme technical metrics,
Leading technical reviews, readiness reviews and engineering governance activities,
Coordinating cross-functional engineering teams, suppliers and partners to resolve technical issues and delivery risks,
Supporting programme execution in partnership with the Program Manager, Chief Engineer and IPT leads,
Driving continuous improvement in systems engineering and integration processes,
Mentoring and developing engineers across the SEIT function.
Required skills, qualifications and experience
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics or a related technical discipline, or equivalent industry experience
Significant experience in systems engineering, integration and test within the space or satellite industry
Proven hands-on experience in satellite system-level integration and testing within cleanroom and laboratory environments
Strong understanding of GEO satellite systems and spacecraft architectures
Experience with environmental verification testing processes and campaign execution
Experience developing Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) plans, procedures and test documentation
Strong requirements management experience, including verification planning and requirements sell-off
Familiarity with industry standards including ECSS, NASA and MIL-STD
Ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and influence cross-functional stakeholders
Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex technical information clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
Active or current UK Security Clearance (SC) eligibility required; UK or NATO citizenship essential.
Desirable:
Experience leading Systems Engineering teams across full development programme lifecycles
Experience implementing Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches on complex programmes
Knowledge of spacecraft payloads, subsystem technologies and associated ground systems
Experience with software integration, interface definition and system-level testing
Strong understanding of configuration management, baseline control and change management processes,
Experience in risk and opportunity management within complex development programmes
Fixed-price contract delivery experience
Programme management or Integrated Product Team (IPT) leadership experience
Experience delivering satellite communications or mission-critical space systems
Recognised subject matter expertise in Systems Engineering processes and governance.