Principal Systems Design Engineer

• Job Title: Principal Systems Design Engineer
• Location: Various locations across the UK and Scotland – Hybrid, up to 3 days per week on site.
• We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role
• Referral Scheme: £1000
• Grade: GG11
• You’re expected to have completed 12 months in role prior to applying for an advertised vacancy and you should also discuss the internal opportunity with your line manager to ensure sustained business continuity and to further support your career development.
• We know there may be exceptionalindividual circumstances that impact this, in the first instance please discuss this with your line manager.
• If you don’t feel you can talk to your line manager, you can contact your HRBP.
• PLEASE NOTE: Should you be invited for interview; you acknowledge that the Recruitment team will contact you and your line manager regarding your application for this opportunity.

What you’ll be doing

You will lead the Hybrid Navy Software System Design workstream, ensuring solutions align with the Product Owner’s vision and capability requirements. You will provide technical leadership by defining system requirements and high-level software designs, guiding development teams to deliver secure, reliable, and certifiable solutions that meet safety, quality, and performance standards.

Core duties

• You will provide technical leadership to the software system design team, setting the technical direction and enabling effective team delivery
• You will ensure solutions align with the product vision by defining, interpreting, and managing product and system requirements
• You will lead the development of high-level system and software designs, making and documenting key technical and architectural decisions
• You will produce and maintain software design artefacts, including requirements analysis, system specifications, and internal and external interface definitions
• You will identify and manage technical risks while ensuring requirements are appropriately validated, approved, and delivered to support successful project outcomes

Essential skills

You will be an experienced engineer, possessing broad and deep expertise in systems engineering, acquired through work within an engineering or defence related industry

You will have proven knowledge of software engineering approaches, processes and procedures, with a working knowledge of Agile practices

You will demonstrate significant breadth and diversity of software engineering experience on projects or products, combined with demonstrable experience of software engineering in a systems context

You will understand business processes and the business environment, extends the knowledge base, provides specialist technical advice and guidance to other professionals and projects

The Combat Systems Team

This is an opportunity for you to come into a team-based environment with hybrid, cross site working on new technologies and ways of working. You will gain exposure to new projects and part of the advancements in Royal Navy Systems.

This will be a highly visible role, with demanding use of software that is developed with a aim for it to be running within a Naval Ship environment.

Why BAE Systems?

Here you’ll build a career with purpose and limitless possibilities. With lifelong learning and meaningful work, this is a place where you can grow your career with confidence and be empowered to be your best. You’ll be recognised for your contribution and enjoy rewards tailored to what’s most important to you and your family, support for your financial and personal wellbeing, as well as a balanced lifestyle. In an environment embracing sustainable ways of working and with a strong sense of shared purpose, our supportive culture is a place you can feel you belong and proud of the difference you make.

A place where everyone can thrive

We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We know that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences strengthens our teams and is vital to the work we do.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people, who are BAE Systems employees and have been in their current role for 12 months or longer.

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 applicantsmust as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicantsmust 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: 20th Novmeber 2026

We are currently accepting speculative referrals for specific skillsets (roles based in the UK). Click here to find out more. All Privacy rights will be protected.

Make a speculative referral

If this advert states that this role is eligible for the UK referral scheme, but there is no link here to make a referral for this specific vacancy, please contact the Recruitment Helpdesk who will be able to advise.