Principal Systems Engineer

Location: Luton (4-5 days per week onsite) Duration: 12 month contract Rate: £83.80ph UMB (Inside IR35) Active SC clearance required Role details: Our client is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to support the…

Inside IR35 Public Sector
Pay rate £83.80/hour
Contract type Contract
Posted 8 October 2026

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About this contract

Location: Luton (4-5 days per week onsite)

Duration: 12 month contract

Rate: £83.80ph UMB (Inside IR35)

Active SC clearance required

Role details:

Our client is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to support the development of advanced defence and security capabilities in Luton. This contract role will contribute to the Future Combat Air programme, with a focus on systems requirements, design definition and integration across complex electronic warfare products.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop and manage system requirements to support product design and engineering activities
Define system architectures, interfaces and design solutions across multidisciplinary engineering domains
Carry out modelling and analysis using MATLAB and Cameo
Support system integration, qualification, verification and validation activities throughout the engineering lifecycle
Work closely with engineering teams and subject-matter experts across domain, product and technology areas
Contribute to the development of electronic warfare systems and Future Combat Air capabilities
Apply systems engineering principles within an agile working environment
Produce clear technical documentation and communicate engineering decisions to relevant stakeholders

Job Requirements:

Significant experience in systems engineering within a complex engineering or defence environment
Strong knowledge of systems requirements development, management and traceability
Proficiency in MATLAB and experience with Cameo modelling tools
Understanding of system design, interface definition and engineering integration activities
Experience working within agile development environments
Knowledge of the full engineering lifecycle, including requirements definition, integration, qualification, verification and validation
Strong analytical, problem-solving and technical communication skills
Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams and technical specialists

Contract Details:

12-month contract opportunity
Based in Luton
Primarily onsite, with attendance required four to five days per week
Opportunity to contribute to high-profile defence and security programmes
If you are an experienced Principal Systems Engineer with expertise in systems engineering, MATLAB and complex defence programmes, apply now to support the development of next-generation Future Combat Air capabilities

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