Senior Systems Engineer

Senior Systems Engineer

ARQUIMEA

Madrid, Barcelona or Tenerife, Spain

Main function and scope:

We are looking for a Systems Engineer to join a defence technology development project focused on electromechanical, optoelectronic, and robotic systems, with the objective of reaching TRL9 in highly demanding operational environments. The selected candidate will play a key role in the development of defence systems, ensuring that system architecture, requirements, interfaces, verification and validation activities are aligned with applicable European and NATO standards, customer requirements and qualification needs.

Core functions:

• Define and maintain the system architecture throughout the full development lifecycle.
• Manage technical, functional, environmental, performance, interface, integration and verification requirements.
• Ensure traceability between operational needs, system requirements, design, verification, validation and qualification evidence.
• Support the development of defence systems in accordance with applicable European and NATO standards, customer specifications and programme requirements.
• Coordinate technical activities between mechanical, electronics, firmware, control, testing, production, quality and programme teams.
• Participate in technical planning from early development phases through to qualification, acceptance and validation in representative operational environments.
• Prepare and maintain verification and validation plans, test strategies, compliance matrices and requirements traceability matrices.
• Identify technical risks, define mitigation actions and support technical decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Contribute to system-level design reviews, integration reviews, qualification reviews and customer technical meetings.
• Support the preparation of technical documentation required for defence programmes, including specifications, interface control documents, design justification files, test procedures and verification reports.
• Ensure that system design decisions consider robustness, reliability, maintainability, manufacturability, safety and operational constraints.

Required experience and candidate profile:

• Degree in Aerospace, Industrial, Telecommunications, Electronics Engineering, Physics or similar.
• Experience in systems engineering within the defence sector or in the development of complex mission-critical systems.
• Experience in the development, integration, verification and validation of defence systems under European and/or NATO standards.
• Knowledge of defence programme lifecycles, technical reviews, qualification processes and customer acceptance activities.
• Experience in requirements management, system architecture definition, interface management and verification planning.
• Ability to work with evolving requirements, technical uncertainty and multidisciplinary development teams.
• Experience preparing technical documentation suitable for defence customers, audits, reviews and qualification campaigns.
• Good understanding of environmental qualification, robustness, reliability and system performance validation.
• Sound technical judgement, structured problem-solving skills and the ability to make decisions in complex technical environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively with engineering teams, programme management, suppliers and defence customers.

Nice-to-have training/specific knowledge:

• Previous experience with NATO STANAGs, AQAP, MIL-STD, DEF-STAN or equivalent defence standards and qualification frameworks.
• Experience with sensors, inertial systems, robotics, embedded electronics, ruggedised equipment or mission systems.
• Experience in electromechanical and/or optoelectronic systems.
• Experience with systems subjected to shock, vibration, thermal stress or other severe environmental conditions.
• Knowledge of technology maturation processes, TRL progression and transition from prototype to qualified product.
• Experience supporting trials, qualification campaigns, field testing or acceptance testing for defence applications.
• Familiarity with safety, cybersecurity, export control or configuration management requirements in defence programmes.
• Flexible profile, strongly oriented towards technology development, system robustness and operational deployment.