BAE Systems
Head of Strategic Engineering & Systems Architectures
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Job Title: Head of Systems Architectures
Location: Portsmouth (Broad Oak) or Frimley, hybrid - 3 days on site
Salary: Up to £103,000 dependent on experience
Who we are:
Join BAE Systems and you’ll be part of something bigger. As a valued member of our global colleague network, you’ll bring your unique skills and perspectives to help pioneer progress and protect what matters most. You’ll be trusted to play your part in delivering the advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions of tomorrow, shaping a safer future, for all of us.
From the depths of the ocean, to the far reaches of space, there’s no limit to where a career at BAE Systems could take you.
What you’ll be doing:
As Head of Strategic Engineering and Architectures, you will deliver technical, engineering and architectural leadership across BAE Systems maritime mission systems portfolio. As a driver of our engineering response to the Royal Navy’s Hybrid Navy strategy, you will define and drive the enterprise architecture vision, ensuring solutions are product-coherent, future-ready, operationally relevant, and align with customer and business needs. Working closely with customers, programmes and industry partners, you will champion innovation, shape technology roadmaps and deliver modular, scalable force-enabled mission system architectures that support future naval capability and secure export success.
Core duties:
- Define and lead enterprise mission system architectures and candidate design solutions across maritime platforms and programmes.
- Oversee integration of combat, sensor, communications, platform and autonomous system capabilities.
- Provide strategic technical authority, governance and assurance for architectural decisions and reviews.
- Drive innovation in open architectures, digital engineering, AI, autonomy, and emerging technologies.
- Influence customers, partners and suppliers to align strategic architectural direction.
- Lead and develop multidisciplinary architecture and systems engineering teams, periodically deputising for the Chief Engineer
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Essential skills:
- A degree in Engineering (or a related subject) or relevant field experience. Full membership of an Engineering Council accredited institution and be a Chartered Engineer.
- An accomplished engineering leader with a deep understanding of the defence operational context and extensive experience in system-of-systems & data architectures, model-based frameworks, digital engineering and complex systems integration.
- Strong collaborating and influencing skills to build positive, effective and trusted relationships across all engineering disciplines with customers, partners, suppliers and the wider business.
Combat System Engineering Leadership Team:
Within the dynamic and diverse Naval Ships Combat Systems business you'll lead a highly skilled team of architects, systems engineers and integration specialists shaping the future of maritime mission systems as we rise to the very real global threat. You will work across all programmes (Royal Navy and international), functions and with external partners, to deliver innovative, cross-domain mission-critical solutions that exceed customer expectations and drive engineering excellence across the BAE Systems enterprise.
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.
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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.
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 applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must 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:
18th September 2026
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
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