Location: Templecombe, United Kingdom

Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Principal Hardware Architect

Location: Templecombe (Minimum 3 days onsite)

About the team

Thales Underwater Systems (UWS) who design, develop and support Sonar Systems applications for anti-submarine warfare and mine hunting, have a fantastic opportunity for a Principal Hardware Architect to join a close-knit, friendly and hardworking team.

About the role:

• Provide support to the PDA (Project Design Authority) and PLA (Product Line Authority) in a technical capacity.

• Analyses the customer’s and other stakeholders’ needs whatever the used means (e.g. advanced studies, simulations, mock-ups, models, prototypes,)

• Describes the requirements, functions and interfaces on the component or sub-system.

• Formalises the specification and the architectural design to develop the component or sub-system.

• Prepares and performs the component or sub-system, verification and validation tests

• Ensures that hardware architecture stability is maintained across lifecycle phases from Bid to Delivery;

• Directs and coordinates hardware architecture studies;

• Approves the technical, technological, and methodological choices taken in respect of the selected hardware architecture;

• Guarantees adherence to in-scope standards, reuse policy and product development plans;

• Identifies modelling, simulation and prototyping opportunities;

• Co-ordinates product definition, and assessment of trade-offs between aspects of cost, customer requirements and technological possibilities;

• Prepares the Design & Justification Files;

• Provides knowledge on state-of-the-art hardware architecting, taking account of future developments;

• Monitors technological developments.

• If mechanically or electrically biased in experience, lead the design elements specific for that discipline.

• Support and mentor other members of the team.

About You

Skills:

a) An ability to work collaboratively within a team environment and demonstrate:

• Good interpersonal skills,

• Good communication and presentation skills,

• Proactive “can-do” mentality,

• Logical problem solving approaches.

b) Ability to understand and implement Product Line Engineering strategies

c) Ability to technically lead design and development activities, interfacing with other technical disciplines as required.

d) The holder of the role must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the following:

• Systems Engineering Toolsets, Practices and Lifecycles

Desirable:

• Hardware design and development.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years’ experience in an Engineering role in an appropriate engineering field, e.g. Maritime, Aerospace, Defence, etc,. 

• Equivalent experience in a relevant technical field, either mechanical or electronics design will also be considered.

Desirable:

• Experience working on underwater acoustics and/or sonar.

• Experience within Systems Engineering

• The design of equipment for the sub-sea environment.

• Experience with Design for Cost / Design for Manufacture, manufacturing specifications and transition to production environment.

• Experience of IVVQ activities.

Qualifications:

• HNC / HND / Degree OR Proven experience in a similar role of at least 10 years.

Security Clearance statement  

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a Non-ITAR country may be considered. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance - - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

What We Can Offer

We’re committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you’ll have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Flexibility

Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Benefits at Thales:

Alongside a competitive base salary, we offer a benefits package, which includes;

• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00pm
• Hybrid working
• Pension Scheme
• 28 days annual leave (Plus Bank Holidays)
• Life Cover
• Progression and Development Opportunities
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Development focused targets and relocation support can be provided if required along with a variety of learning, development and career enhancement opportunities.

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

#LI-RS1

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!