Associate Combat System Engineer in Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Job Title: Associate Combat Systems Engineer

Location: Portsdown Technology Park

Job Type: Permanent/Fulltime

Salary: £44,100 - £49,000 depending on experience & Benefits

The Naval Combat Systems Integration Support Service (NCSISS) delivers the necessary integration, test, evaluation, and acceptance activities across all phases of the equipment lifecycle to support the development and delivery of operationally effective Combat System (CS) capability. It enables MOD and industry to make informed decisions based on objective, credible evidence that is generated by experts in an environment free from supply chain conflict of interest.

QinetiQ delivers NCSISS collaboratively with its partner BAE Systems. NCSISS capability is based at QinetiQ’s Portsdown Technology Park (PTP). PTP hosts various facilities that are representative of key Royal Navy (RN) Combat Systems to allow defect resolution, design support, integration, test and evaluation, acceptance and interoperability activities to be undertaken.

NCSISS is delivered through unique capabilities and enablers including:

• A team of domain specialist Combat Systems Engineers (CSE) who:
  • Undertake critical engineering lifecycle activities including design support, integration, test, evaluation and acceptance;
  • Provide impartial and independent advice and guidance to Equipment Authorities, their suppliers, and the MOD customer;
  • Seek more cost-effective means to perform equipment integration and enable the CS Design Authority function to be discharged with acceptable residual risk and with equipment suppliers held to account;
• A fleet-wide architecting, standards and configuration control service (Architecture, Standards, Policies and Information Authority (ASPIA)) which performs a crucial role in CS design and sustainability through-life;
• Comprehensive and flexible shore integration facilities with the infrastructure and management control regimes necessary to enable government-furnished Combat Systems equipment to be operated, maintained and upgraded ashore in a safe, secure and configuration-controlled manner;
• Synthetic Test Environments (STE) necessary to provide real-time, co-ordinated synthetic stimuli to the CS equipment so that they may be tested and integrated in high load, complex and repeatable scenarios;
• Tools, analysis equipment and techniques to support the role of the CSE.

As an Associate Combat System Engineer, you will operate within a team of engineers to deliver the NCSISS contract. You will be required to conduct integration and testing as directed by the team’s Senior Combat System Engineers, working in partnership with the NCSISS Project Manager, to ensure a consistent approach to the design, delivery and support of our service and advice in accordance with the Technical Delivery Plan. You will have responsibility for delivering specific, delegated project tasks, and will support customer engagement to understand their requirements with respect to capability and programme constraints. You will then develop a test plan, conduct integration and produce supporting evidence for customer use.

We are looking for an individual who is willing and able to work at PTP, in a combined military and civilian team; however, the ability and willingness to travel to other locations in the UK and abroad to support external supplier testing and trials will also be necessary. There will also be opportunities to support sea trials on board Royal Navy ships.

Key Accountabilities

• Support the Senior Combat System Engineers and Technical Leads on relevant technical matters relating to a range of areas across the Combat System;
• Engage with customers, other stakeholders, and suppliers;
• Work as part of a technical team in support of project objectives and contract deliverables in accordance with the Technical Delivery Plan;
• Contribute to the planning of trials including the production of test plans, execution of trial activities and post-trial analysis;
• Assist in the production of technical documentation including the Supporting Evidence for Certificate of Safe Integration;
• Deliver work and reports on progress to more senior technical and project staff;
• Support to sea trials on Royal Navy Ships including potentially overseas;
• Escalate significant problems and issues encountered to senior technical and project staff;
• Assist the nominated lead for the delivery of delegated project tasks and may be required to lead on less complex project work;
• Accountable to the Senior CSE within delegated technical activities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Honours Degree in Engineering, Physics or similar. HNC/D Level qualification (or equivalent) may be accepted if accompanied with appropriate experience;
• Eng Tech/IEng (or equivalent) is desirable;
• An appreciation of Naval Combat Systems;
• Experience in Test & Evaluation or Integration desirable.

Personal Qualities

• Logically analyse problems and resolve issues;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Able to clearly present technical issues to non-specialists;
• Self-motivated with initiative to work independently on a task.

If you're highly organised, passionate about customer service and enjoy helping people through key moments in their career journey, we'd love to hear from you.

Join us and play a key role in delivering an exceptional onboarding experience for every new starter.

This role is 37 hours per week based at our Portsmouth site - with a minimum of 3 days per week onsite

Our Recruitment Process

At QinetiQ we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible and welcoming workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We believe that a diverse mix of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences drives innovation and leads to better outcomes for our people, customers and communities. We encourage applications from all candidates and are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing [email protected] . One of our recruitment team will contact you.

Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.

Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which means factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in.

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Visit our website to read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture.

Our Benefits

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance

• Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days

• Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance

• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more

• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme

• Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community