{"id":2196518,"url":"https://alion.io/job/matchtech-chief-engineer-technical-lead","title":"Chief Engineer / Technical Lead","company":{"id":2073484,"name":"Matchtech","domain":"matchtech.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/matchtech-com","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":true,"employer_type":"agency","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Schema","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["London, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":70000,"max":70000,"currency":"GBP","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":92603},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Platform Engineering","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-09T19:42:03Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-09","last_verified_at":"2026-10-10T11:05:39Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"We're supporting an ambitious and well-funded aerospace and defence start-up developing next-generation air vehicle capabilities for the defence sector.\nHaving secured funding and established a clear programme vision, the business is entering an exciting growth phase and is looking to appoint a Chief Engineer to lead the technical delivery of a flagship programme from concept through to testing, certification, and operational deployment.\nThis is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage and become one of the most influential leaders within the organisation. You'll help shape not only the product, but also the engineering culture, team structure, processes, and long-term technical strategy of the company.\nFor the right individual, there is also the opportunity to participate in the future success of the business through an equity package, providing genuine ownership and influence as the company grows.\nThe Role\nAs Chief Engineer, you will be the senior technical authority across the programme, responsible for defining the technical vision and leading the multidisciplinary engineering team to deliver it.\nYou will work closely with company founders, leadership, customers, partners, and investors, balancing technical excellence with programme delivery, commercial objectives, and customer requirements.\nThis position will suit someone who enjoys operating in a fast-moving start-up environment, is comfortable making key decisions, and thrives on building teams and products from the ground up.\nKey Responsibilities\nAct as the overall technical authority for the programme.\nDefine and own the technical strategy, roadmap, and system architecture.\nLead and develop a multidisciplinary engineering team covering systems, software, electronics, mechanical design, integration, test, and platform engineering.\nEstablish engineering standards, processes, governance, and best practices.\nDrive technical decision-making across performance, cost, risk, schedule, and manufacturability.\nChair design reviews and provide technical oversight throughout the product lifecycle.\nEnsure successful delivery from concept development through design, integration, verification, validation, and testing.\nManage technical risk and implement mitigation strategies.\nAct as the primary technical interface with customers, suppliers, partners, and key stakeholders.\nSupport future growth, business development activities, and strategic customer engagements.\nWork closely with company leadership to align technical delivery with business goals and programme milestones.\nEssential Experience\nDegree qualified in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related discipline.\nSignificant experience developing complex aerospace, defence, autonomous systems, UAV, guided weapon, or safety-critical products.\nPrevious experience operating as a Chief Engineer, Head of Engineering, Technical Director, Programme Lead Engineer, or equivalent senior technical leadership role.\nProven track record leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and delivering complex programmes from concept through to deployment.\nStrong systems thinking with experience in requirements management, architecture development, integration, verification, and validation.\nAbility to make programme-level technical decisions balancing performance, affordability, and delivery risk.\nExperience engaging with senior stakeholders, customers, suppliers, and executive leadership teams.\nStrong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.\nDesirable Experience\nDefence, aerospace, UAV, missile, autonomy, or advanced technology programme experience.\nExperience working within a start-up, scale-up, or high-growth technology environment.\nMOD or defence customer experience.\nFlight test, certification, or airworthiness experience.\nExperience growing and mentoring engineering teams.\nCurrent or previous SC clearance.\nWhat's on Offer?\nOpportunity to join a well-funded defence technology start-up at a pivotal stage of growth.\nSignificant influence over product development and company strategy.\nLeadership of a highly capable and growing engineering function.\nDirect access to founders, investors, and key decision-makers.\nCompetitive salary and benefits package.\n Equity opportunity for the right candidate, providing a genuine stake in the future success of the business.\nThe chance to build a market-leading product and leave a lasting impact on both the organisation and the wider defence sector.\nThis is an exceptional opportunity for a technically credible engineering leader who wants to move beyond managing programmes and become instrumental in building a company.","description_format":"text","description_chars":4700,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-09T19:42:03Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":54,"band":"ok","label":"Likely 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