Job Title: Senior Weapon Qualification Engineer
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
Package: Highly Competitive Salary + Benefits Package

The job holder will work in the Weapons Science group; our teams come from a variety of science, engineering and mathematics backgrounds. They provide research, advice and assessment of weapons systems from long range missiles to small arms pistols including the detailed technologies that enable their use. They help our customers ensure that these critical assets perform effectively and safely. This particular role involves conducting qualification, evaluation and assessment of general and complex weapon systems, as well as providing expertise in Weapon engineering and ammunition assessment.

Responsibilities within the role include:
1. Identifying, leading and contributing to technical programmes in this area.
2. Working with internal and external stakeholders.

3. Providing mentoring to the team in areas of technical expertise to develop further depth in the weapon qualification area
4. Working with programme and project managers to deliver projects to forecast performance by proactively managing risk.
5. Promoting innovation, inventiveness and excellence within QinetiQ

Key Accountabilities

1. Provide technical direction, leadership and individual contribution to technical teams to ensure that programmes are delivered effectively and meet customer requirements and expectations
2. Provide liaison with colleagues, customers and other stakeholders to ensure delivery and growth of the business
3. Provide input to the strategic direction of the team, including advice on growth opportunities, areas for internal investment and innovation, and the development of the personnel in the team
4. Ensure the application of an appropriate level of Technical Assurance for opportunities and projects; as part of the project lifecycle ensure that customers’ requirements and tasks are fully understood and that problems, issues and risks are reliably identified at the outset

Key Capabilities/Knowledge

1. Highly credible technical background with detailed experience of complex or general munition qualification and assessment and an aptitude and willingness to develop in the other areas.
2. Knowledge and understanding of how munition manufacture to target or disposal sequences and life cycle environmental profiles are derived and how test programmes are designed to provide evidence for the munition safety case.
3. Experience of providing engineering technical lead role by generating compelling proposals and programme plans, setting technical objectives and identifying resource requirements, and then technically leading the programme whilst proactively monitoring progress.
4. Experienced in planning and risk assessing trials involving weapon systems, including warhead and rocket motor firing trials.
5. An appreciation of systems engineering and technical assurance requirements and processes.
6. Excellent interpersonal, influencing, analytical and team working skills
7. Good listening and questioning skills to fully understand customers’ requirements and problems, good interpersonal and relationship building skills
8. Excellent written and oral communication skills , including presentation skills
9. Personal resilience to handle competing demands and setbacks
10. A strong ethos on the importance of safety, operational efficiency, and delivery is paramount

Experience and Qualifications

1. A first degree in Engineering or Physics, or an equivalent, nationally recognised, professional qualification, with a proven record of accomplishment in this field.
2. In lieu of the educational qualifier, the applicant would typically have over twelve years technical experience working in a science or engineering role in this field.
3. Holders would be expected to have fulfilled the requirements to attain full professional membership of a relevant body or similar accreditation.
4. Job involves travel in UK and periods away from home.

Why join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

You’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experience enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in an diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture here.

Joining QinetiQ offers you an opportunity to work on a broad range of interesting defence-based projects with vast career progression across a global organisation in addition to competitive personal and professional benefits. You’ll receive a highly competitive salary and benefits package: our basic salaries are very attractive as we constantly review what’s happening in the market. The range of benefits that we offer include, adaptive and flexible working, generous holiday entitlements, Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance and much more.

About QinetiQ

As a company of over 6,000 dedicated professionals, we are a world-centre of excellence in research and development and act as a catalyst for fast-track innovation, offering outstanding experimentation facilities, and technical, engineering and scientific expertise. QinetiQ is made up of dedicated experts in defence, aerospace, security and related markets, all working together to explore new ways of protecting what matters most. Being part of QinetiQ means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help to save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend. Come and find out how you can play a role.

Please note that many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting. Applicants that already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment, subject to approval. A number of roles are also subject to restrictions on access to information that mean factors such as nationality, previous nationalities held and the country in which you were born may have an effect on the roles that you can be employed in.