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Working at MBDA

  • Company employees
    7000
  • Gender diversity (m:f)
    74:26

Hiring in

  • Spain
  • United Kingdom

Office locations

Join MBDA as an RF/EO/IR Professional based in Stevenage or Bristol. This full-time role offers dynamic hybrid working (2 to 4 days on-site per week) with a salary of £42,000 - £60,000 depending on experience. You will contribute to cutting-edge missile datalinks and seeker systems across research, design, and production.

Requirements

  • No specific degree or minimum years of experience are explicitly stated, but applicants must possess relevant domain knowledge ranging from graduate to experienced manager levels.
  • Must be a Sole British Citizen eligible for HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) security clearance.
  • Required knowledge includes RF/microwave and electronic systems, optical systems, real-time digital signal processing, and control systems design.

Skills & Responsibilities

  • RF/microwave and electronic systems: Design and implement algorithms and hardware for high data bandwidth systems.
  • Optical systems: Apply concept or optical design understanding to Electro-Optic and Infrared technologies.
  • Hardware transition and testing: Oversee the transition of development hardware into series production, robustness testing, qualification testing, and design certification.
  • System integration: Prove system-level functionality, handle software and firmware integration, and manage systems modelling and autocode generation.
  • Communication and leadership: Produce high-quality written reports, deliver presentations to customers, and participate in or lead design reviews.
  • Potential transition routes: People from aerospace engineering, electronics, or defense systems backgrounds may bring transferable hardware and systems engineering skills, alongside meeting mandatory security clearance requirements.

Job description

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

Salary: £42,000 - £60,000 depending on experience

Dynamic (hybrid) working: 2/3 or 4 days per week depending on role due to work classification

Security Clearance: Sole British Citizen only.

Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

  • Company bonus: Up to £2,500 (based on company performance and will vary year to year)

  • Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%

  • Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime

  • Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days

  • Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements

  • Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments

  • Healthcare Cash Plan: The Healthcare Cash Plan benefit provides the option to claim cash back on everyday healthcare expenses such as optical, dental, health and wellbeing and more.

  • Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…

The opportunity:

At MBDA, we are continuing to grow our world leading capability on missile datalinks and seekers. We have a number of exciting opportunities within our Seekers and DataLink Systems organisation working from research, through to early concept phase, to full product design and production programmes, needing a range of knowledge and experience from graduate engineer to experienced managers.

The roles cover RF and EletroOptic technologies with applications covering systems design work, hardware and firmware.

Ideally you’ll have exposure / bias towards RF / EO / IR hardware and technology across the full product life cycle.

Currently we are recruiting for the following roles:

  • Algorithm / Modelling Systems Engineers Seekers

  • Design / Requirements Systems Engineers Seekers

  • RF / MW Design Engineer Seeker Hardware

We’re looking for you to have an ability to work autonomously within a multi-skilled team with a good understanding and commitment to achieving project goals. You should also be able to perform technical investigations, provide problem assessments, and propose design solutions within a culture of innovative thinking.

Apply now
MBDA

RF/ EO/ IR Professionals

Bristol, Stevenage
Hybrid
£42,000 - £60,000 depending on experience

You’ll be joining a rapidly developing product area within MBDA, with many exciting opportunities to work on both new and established products.

The teams have a common goal for the delivery of products design solutions that meets the customer’s requirements to the schedule and cost agreed. You’ll be able to significantly contribute to meeting the expectations of both MBDA and the customer.

The projects offers you the opportunity to work with a specialist team developing and managing technically challenging technology within MBDA.

We understand that flexibility benefits our people, our teams and our business; wherever possible we will seek to accommodate a blended approach to on-site, remote working and flexible working patterns.

What we’re looking for from you:

Some of the following dependent upon role level; all within the context of good RF or Electro-Optic knowledge:

  • Knowledge of RF/microwave and electronic systems, algorithm design and implementation.

  • Understanding of optical systems and experience in concept or optical design

  • Experience of overseeing the transition of development hardware into series production, including robustness testing and qualification testing and design certification.

  • Experienced proving system level functionality, SW/FW integration and proving.

  • Familiarity of real-time digital signal processing for high data bandwidth systems.

  • Experience of design of Control Systems.

  • Systems modelling and Autocode generation experience

  • Systems design and requirements.

  • Good communication skills with the ability to produce high quality written reports and presentations to internal and external customers.

  • Participate in or lead design reviews for all stages of concept development to the assessment of design maturity.

  • Ability to manage external suppliers with procurement teams.

Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more…

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information.

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