_{20th January, 2026}

Thomas Search are delighted to be partnering with a leading defence research & development organisation who is looking for a Principal Systems Engineering Team Leader in Hampshire. This is an exciting leadership opportunity to work across ground-breaking innovations and be part of a growing professional community.  
 
The Role
 
As a Principal Systems Engineer you will lead a team of Systems Engineers and operate working across multiple projects delivering your own portfolio of work.
Day-to-day, you will assimilate a broad view of programmes, technical challenges and deliver systems engineering artefacts across multiple projects showing a deep interest in the effective productisation of science and technology.
 
Your responsibilities will include:

• Working with discipline and professional leads to shape toolsets, artefacts, training and best practice
• Mentoring, peer reviewing and advising on professional best practice both directly and throughout your team
• Setting, discussing and tracking individuals goals and performance, including gathering feedback, 121s and calibration activities
• Advancing your teams professional skills, knowledge and behaviours
• Applying deep or broad systems engineering principles and practices to engage with the team delivering on actions
• Advising on suitable deployments for your team, Chief Engineers, Programme Leaders, resource Managers and related stakeholders as necessary

Essential experience of the Principal Systems Engineer:

• Robust understanding of systems engineering and its application in the development of products
• A strong knowledge of engineering toolset for managing complex systems developments
• Previous experience operating as a Lead / Principal Systems Engineer on complex equipment development programmes delivering artefacts and leading teams
• The ability to build effective, high performing teams and develop others including addressing behaviours where necessary
• A deep or broad experience applying systems engineering principles and practices in line with competency frameworks
• Demonstrable experience applying relevant standards and meeting regulatory requirements in engineering delivery

Essential qualifications for the Principal Systems Engineer:

• A chartered engineer or demonstrable experience

This role is 37 hours per week based in Farnborough, Hampshire. Hybrid working patterns are available with a realistic 2/3 days per week onsite.
 
NB. Candidates must be eligible to obtain UK security clearances.

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