Radio Systems Lead - Space Systems

BAE Systems Digital Intelligence is home to 4,800 digital, cyber and intelligence experts. We work collaboratively across 16 countries to collect, connect and understand complex data, so that governments, nation states, armed forces and commercial businesses can unlock digital advantage in the most demanding environments.

At BAE Systems Digital Intelligence we develop world-class radio and data systems. We are launching a major new space programme, marrying our existing capabilities with new space technology. We need skilled, enthusiastic and motivated people at all experience levels from graduate to CTO to deliver these exciting new capabilities. There are opportunities in all relevant engineering and non-engineering disciplines, both for those with space industry experience and those without. Many roles come with opportunities for remote / hybrid working, working in our offices in Guildford and Great Baddow only when required. We will provide you with personal development, CPD including support towards professional recognition, industry-leading benefits, and the opportunity to apply cutting-edge technology to interesting problems with the support of our highly-skilled engineering community. Come and join us for this exciting opportunity to shape and deliver world-class space technologies.

Role and Responsibilities

You will be responsible for the design and delivery of a range of high performance radio systems that encompass space payloads as a core, but also ground stations and end user terminal equipment, covering bands from VHF through to millimetre wave. The role covers both communications and non-communications (e.g., RF intelligence) radio applications. You will design state-of-the-art systems considering aspects such as RF front-ends, antennas, radio propagation, waveforms and algorithms, mechanics and environmental considerations. You will draw on a wide range of previous practical experience in some or all of these areas, and be able to quickly expand your knowledge into new areas as appropriate for the task. You will be able to work well with customers and internal stakeholders to understand use cases and communicate ideas. You will be able to collaborate well with other technical specialists and enable them to contribute to the design process. You will provide expertise and support to a wider engineering team to implement and deliver your designs.

What we are looking for (skills and experience)

We are looking for high-calibre people with some or all of the following characteristics:

Essential:

• Ability to take responsibility and lead the design of complex radio systems

• Strong foundational engineering background, with years of hand-on experience in a relevant technical discipline

• Either a degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. Communications, Physics, Electronic/Electrical Engineering or a related discipline), or a strong track record of technical leadership in relevant industries

• Proven record of designing and delivering real-world systems

• Experience of designing products for environmental and compliance testing and knowledge of the relevant standards

• Significant practical experience across a number of relevant areas such as RF electronics, antenna design, radio communications protocols, waveform design, digital signal processing and radio propagation modelling

• A keen interest in the space sector and awareness of latest industry developments

• Comfortable working on multiple projects at the same time and in a dynamic environment where deadlines and priorities are changeable

• Experience of working within multi-disciplinary development teams in a project-based environment

• Good inter-personal skills and able to work well in a dynamic, collaborative team

Desirable:

• Knowledge and experience working with different types of satellite payload

• Knowledge of ECSS and other relevant space standards

• Experience in the use of software and FPGA development tools and environments, e.g., Python, C/C++, Linux, particularly as needed to support hardware test and debug

Life at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence

We are embracing Hybrid Working. This means you and your colleagues may be working in different locations, such as from home, another BAE Systems office or client site, some or all of the time, and work might be going on at different times of the day.

By embracing technology, we can interact, collaborate and create together, even when we’re working remotely from one another. Hybrid Working allows for increased flexibility in when and where we work, helping us to balance our work and personal life more effectively, and enhance well-being.

Diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of BAE Systems Digital Intelligence. We are proud to have an organisational culture where employees with varying perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds - the best and brightest minds - can work together to achieve excellence and realise individual and organisational potential.

Division overview: Capabilities

At BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, we pride ourselves in being a leader in the cyber defence industry, and Capabilities is the engine that keeps the business moving forward. It is the largest area of Digital Intelligence, containing our Engineering, Consulting and Project Management teams that design and implement the defence solutions and digital transformation projects that make us a globally recognised brand in both the public and private sector.

As a member of the Capabilities team, you will be creating and managing the solutions that earn us our place in an ever changing digital world. We all have a role to play in defending our clients, and this is yours.