Head of Systems Engineering (Aerospace & Defence)

Location: Bedfordshire, United Kingdom

Company

hirify.global is a defence and security company developing and maintaining advanced solutions across aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors, underwater systems, aviation, space, and civil security.

What you will do

• Set the technical direction and strategic vision for the Systems Engineering department.
• Own systems engineering governance across lifecycle management activities, bids, design reviews, audits, and engineering standards.
• Drive capability development through Model-Based Systems Engineering and digital transformation initiatives.
• Act as the senior technical escalation point for architectural conflicts, complex technical issues, and system-of-systems emergent behaviours.
• Lead and mentor Systems Engineers and Subject Matter Experts, including resource allocation, recruitment, and succession planning.
• Define and oversee Verification, Validation, and Qualification strategies while engaging internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Significant experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams, typically of 10 or more staff, in complex defence or aerospace environments.
• Deep knowledge of the systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements elicitation, architectural design, and complex systems integration.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-influence skills, with experience acting as a change agent for engineering excellence.
• Experience managing engineering budgets, estimating work packages, and identifying technical risks and opportunities in bids.
• Ability to work in accordance with INCOSE, ISO 15288, quality, safety, and airworthiness standards.
• Ability to obtain and maintain UK Security Clearance at SC or DV level is desirable.

Nice to have

• Degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Mathematics, or a related scientific discipline; a Master’s degree or PhD is preferred.
• Chartered Engineer status and membership in professional bodies such as INCOSE.
• Experience with MBSE tools and Design for Excellence concepts.

Culture & Benefits

• 30 days of annual leave.
• Workplace pension with an 8% company contribution.
• Private medical insurance and group income protection.
• Death in service insurance.
• Up to 5% share matching and enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave.
• Employment screening may include security checks, national security vetting, reference checks, verification of working rights, and a security interview.