Principal Systems Engineer

Location: Coventry / West Midlands (Hybrid 2–3 Days Per Week)

Job Type: Permanent

Salary: Up to £61,500

Overview

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Principal Systems Engineer to join a leading defence engineering programme working on some of the UK’s most advanced and secure systems. We are hiring across two core focus areas:

• Governance & Process Specialists – Expertise in engineering lifecycle management (LCM), compliance, process development, and technical governance.
• IV&V / Integration Specialists – Experience in requirements capture, integration, verification, and validation (IV&V), technical documentation, and systems testing.
• If your background aligns strongly with either of these areas, your experience will be highly relevant for upcoming programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead requirements capture, analysis, and traceability across multiple projects
• Deliver compliant technical solutions aligned with programme and regulatory needs
• Provide expertise in IV&V or engineering governance and process control
• Author technical documentation including design artefacts, test specifications, and change deliverables
• Support full engineering lifecycle management (LCM) from concept to operational acceptance
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure delivery within quality, schedule, and cost objectives
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to process improvement initiatives

Required Skills & Experience

Essential (either focus area):

• Proven background in Systems Engineering within defence, aerospace, nuclear, automotive, or secure environments
• Experience in at least one of the following:
• • Governance & Process Control – LCM compliance, engineering standards, stakeholder assurance
• • Integration, Verification & Validation (IV&V) – test planning, execution, defect resolution
• Strong technical documentation and stakeholder communication skills
• Familiarity with working in regulated, safety-critical, or high-integrity environments

Desirable:

• Experience with requirements management tools (e.g., IBM DOORS)
• STEM degree or equivalent experience
• Chartered or working towards CEng status
• ISTQB or equivalent certification
• Prior experience on submarine, maritime, defence, or secure communications projects

Security Clearance Requirement

Due to the sensitive nature of the work, candidates must hold sole British citizenship and be eligible to obtain or currently hold SC or DV clearance.

Call to Action

If you’re an experienced Systems Engineer with expertise in either engineering governance or integration and IV&V, this is an opportunity to work on some of the UK’s most technically challenging and secure programmes. Apply now or contact Declan Bryson at Anson McCade on 07529 161950, quoting reference AMC/DB/PSE/1.