Principal Systems Engineer

BAE Systems; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor in the UK is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer based in Portsmouth. This role involves providing technical and strategic management, ensuring compliance with engineering and business requirements, and leading system integration efforts. The ideal candidate will possess a degree or equivalent in a relevant field and have substantial experience in systems engineering, with strong understanding of IP networks and integration tools. This position offers a competitive salary and hybrid working arrangements.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible discounted health benefits

Private health plans

Shopping discounts

Annual incentive eligibility

Qualifications

• Good understanding and applied experience of the Engineering/System lifecycle.
• Sound understanding of IP networks (protocols, switching & routing).
• Expert understanding of integration tools and their application over the integration lifecycle.
• Good understanding of how synthetic environments support system integration.
• Experience in Software & Script development on Windows and Linux platforms.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical and strategic management of the team, including task allocation using Jira.
• Understand Customer Requirements and emergent Technologies.
• Apply and champion the Systems Engineering and Software Engineering principles.
• Maintain the toolset deployed across the integration labs.
• Direct and undertake system integration, test planning and execution.

Skills

Understanding of Engineering/System lifecycle

Understanding of IP networks (protocols, switching & routing)

Expertise in integration tools

Understanding of synthetic environments

Software & Script development experience

Education

Degree in technology, engineering, science or IT related discipline

Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional registration

Job description

Job Description - Principal Systems Engineer (00133212)

Job Title: Principal Systems Engineer

Location: Portsmouth Technology Park (We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role)

Salary: Circa £70,000 (dependent on skills and experience)

What you’ll be doing:

• Provide technical and strategic management of the team including, task allocation using Jira e.g. maintenance of the deployed and inventory configuration of Hardware, Software and tools deployed across the estate and projects
• Understanding Customer Requirements and emergent Technologies and communicating how these can be applied to the existing or future products, services and tools
• Apply and champion the Systems Engineering and Software Engineering principles
• Maintenance of the toolset deployed across the integration labs
• Direct and undertake system integration, test planning and execution for Software and Network tool setup/configuration/scenario files
• Manage and own the delegated Engineering governance for Systems and Designs within the MISC
• Lead technical reviews, verification and approval of engineering technical design and documentation ensuring compliance with business, legislative and customer requirements
• Provide practical leadership into the Tools and Tech team with technical trouble shooting, providing the Tools and Tech Engineering Manager with situation and impact assessment

Your skills and experiences:

• Good understanding and applied experience of the Engineering / System lifecycle
• Sound understanding of IP networks (protocols, switching & routing)
• Expert understanding of integration tools, and their application over the integration lifecycle;
• Good understanding of how synthetic environments support system integration
• An understanding of Software & Script development experience on Windows and Linux platforms

Applicants should ideally be Degree qualified or have equivalent experience, likely to be in a technology, engineering, science or IT related discipline.

Applicants should be a Chartered Engineer or hold another equivalent professional registration with a relevant institution.

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Maritime Integration and Support Centre (MISC) Systems, Tools and Tech

The MISC is support facility for maritime experimentation, demonstration and research for current and future technologies deployed across a number of Customers. This role will provide hands‑on technical leadership , direction, and engineering guidance to a team of Engineers and wider stakeholders to develop the Integration, Test, Analysis and Data toolset, network and virtual environment at the Maritime Integration & Support Centre (MISC) located at Portsdown Technology Park.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc .) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role , to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date 26th January 2026. Interviews for this position will take place W/C 2nd February.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role . Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.