Command and Control Subsystem Engineering Lead
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Sep 30, 2026. First seen by Alion on Jun 22, 2026.
This role is an excellent opportunity to take a leading role in the design and development of a key subsystem on a high-profile project aiming to deliver the Royal Navy’s first operational Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) capability in rapid timescales.
Salary: Circa £52,500 depending on experience
Dynamic (hybrid) working: 4 days per week on-site due to workload classification
Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship.
Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.
What we can offer you:
- Company bonus: Up to £2,500 (based on company performance and will vary year to year)
- Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
- Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime.
- Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days.
- Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
- Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments
- Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…
- Healthcare Cash Plan: The Healthcare Cash Plan benefit provides the option to claim cash back on everyday healthcare expenses such as optical, dental, health and wellbeing and more.
The opportunity:
DragonFire is MBDA’s new Laser Directed Energy Weapon that we are developing for the royal Navy. A critical component of this system is the Command and Control (C2) system that integrates the different components of the weapon system together, provides digital integration of the weapon system to the ship’s systems and sensors, and provides the operator with the means to plan and execute laser engagements. Reporting to the Head of C2, you will provide day-to-day management, direction and technical leadership for the multi-disciplinary Common Architecture Team (CAT) responsible for the design of the C2.
The role has good visibility and engagement across a range of MBDA weapon system design functions, and the successful candidate will help to build the foundation for future design evolutions of MBDA LDEW products beyond the DragonFire Minimum Deployable Capability (MDC) programme.
The role has good visibility and engagement across a range of MBDA weapon system design areas, primarily System Design, Software and Algorithms engineers, but also with safety and human factors.
The successful candidate will help to build the foundation for future design evolutions of MBDA LDEW products beyond the DragonFire Minimum Deployable Capability programme.
Key responsibilities:
- Provide direction and technical leadership (including activity tracking and project reporting) of the multi-functional Common Architecture Team (CAT).
- Lead the capture, derivation, and refinement of subsystem requirements for the Command & Control subsystem.
- Work collaboratively with the CAT to deliver the Command & Control sub-system functional architecture.
- Identify and capture functional risks, opportunities, issues and assumptions and their associated mitigation strategies.
- Conduct trade studies and engineering analyses to ensure we deliver a fit for purpose DragonFire MDC C2&EMS that is on schedule.
What we're looking for from you:
- Product development / systems thinking mindset, with experience in complex systems functional design and development.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills.
- Experience across the systems engineering / product development lifecycle, with an emphasis on successful project delivery.
- Proactive and self-managing, with an ability to work under pressure to deliver successful outcomes on demanding timescales.
- Practical knowledge and experience of system engineering processes and tools (e.g. IBM Rhapsody, IBM DOORS, IBM Engineering Workflow Management).
- Relevant experience in defence or other highly regulated environment
- Experience working in or leading a cross-functional engineering teams.
Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given
MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.
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