Thales
Principal Electronics Engineer

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Location: Belfast, United Kingdom
Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.
Principal Electronics Engineer
Belfast – Hybrid
Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems (IAS) UK designs and manufactures a range of cutting-edge technologies ranging from air surveillance and mission planning systems to missiles. The company specialises in lightweight missiles and the integration of weapon systems into various platforms along with the systems to manage and exploit critical mission planning and air surveillance data. Belfast is also home to the Thales’s global Space Electric Propulsion Integration Centre.
The Role
As a Principal Electronics Engineer you will be expected to mentor, guide and lead others in the design of state-of-the-art electronic systems that deliver world-class performance. You will be working and developing alongside a multi-disciplinary team of 45 Electronics Engineers, who are some of the most experienced Engineers in the industry.
Your role will span the entire product lifecycle from design requirements capture and analysis through to defining the system architecture and designing, building, testing and verifying that the solution meets the customer’s requirements.
The Principal Electronics role requires working within the team to optimise the design through trade-offs, studies, analyses, modelling and simulation to produce a best-in-class competitive product. Your responsibilities will include:
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
- Lead in the design of circuit assemblies and systems
- Develop electronic architectures to meet design requirements
- Lead component and sub-system selection and manage evaluation activities
- Lead the creation of electronic schematics and PCB layout
- Define testing, validation and debug of circuit assemblies
- Support development and integration testing of electronic assemblies
- Creation of electronics specifications, development and verification plans
- Responsible for compliance to regulatory standards
- Contribute to bid and estimating activities
What are we looking for from you.
- A relevant Engineering, Scientific or Numerate degree with a deep understanding of electronic design
- Proven experience leading electronic engineering development or leading topics within the engineering development lifecycle.
- Experience in design of equipment for safety critical environments
- Experience of requirements for DFT and DFM
- Solid, relevant, experience of analytical and problem solving
- Highly effectively communicator within a diverse, professional environment
- Self-motivated, able to lead and take the initiative
- Outstanding team working skills
- Experience of mentoring and coaching others
Security Clearance Statement
This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.
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. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
What we can offer
We are 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.
Our packages will include significant bonus, a strong pension contribute, private healthcare, development focused targets and relocation support can be provided if required along with a variety of learning, development and career enhancement opportunities. Further support can be provided towards academic and membership attainments.
#LI-CL1
At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.
We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.
If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.
Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London