Development Engineer

About the Role:As a Lead Development Engineer at Space Solar, you will be responsible for leading a team of multi-disciplinary and specialist engineers and scientists in the design, development, and optimization of the technologies required for our products. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring that our technologies meet performance, quality, and cost objectives, as well as fostering an environment of innovation and technical excellence.
You will lead the portfolio of projects while contributing technically, covering low Technology Readiness Level concepts through Commercial-Off-The-Shelf products. As well as good communication skills, a broad range of technical skills and experience are needed to succeed in this role, examples include leading and contributing technically to: engineering management, systems engineering, digital engineering, energy systems modelling (including nuclear), design/analysis/engineering/manufacturing of integrated systems (e.g. for space, nuclear, aerospace), development of engineering trial etc.. This includes assessment of existing components as well as future designs.
The value you deliver will be measurable in the success and coordination of all projects within the portfolio, the ability to identify and stop dead ends, collate lessons learnt, to solve challenging engineering problems while optimising the engineering programme.
The role will require you to lead a diverse and highly capable team which will work closely together to execute the programme. The programme is highly agile and requires you to build a team who can be flexible, problem solve on the go, innovate, and take initiative.

Role value and responsibility:

As a Lead Development Engineer at Space Solar, you will be responsible for leading a team of multi-disciplinary and specialist engineers and scientists in the design, development, and optimization of the technologies required for our products. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring that our technologies meet performance, quality, and cost objectives, as well as fostering an environment of innovation and technical excellence.

You will lead the portfolio of projects while contributing technically, covering low Technology Readiness Level concepts through Commercial-Off-The-Shelf products. As well as good communication skills, a broad range of technical skills and experience are needed to succeed in this role, examples include leading and contributing technically to: engineering management, systems engineering, digital engineering, energy systems modelling (including nuclear), design/analysis/engineering/manufacturing of integrated systems (e.g. for space, nuclear, aerospace), development of engineering trial etc.. This includes assessment of existing components as well as future designs.

The value you deliver will be measurable in the success and coordination of all projects within the portfolio, the ability to identify and stop dead ends, collate lessons learnt, to solve challenging engineering problems while optimising the engineering programme.

The role will require you to lead a diverse and highly capable team which will work closely together to execute the programme. The programme is highly agile and requires you to build a team who can be flexible, problem solve on the go, innovate, and take initiative.

What you will be doing:

• Leading Teams: Lead a multidisciplinary team of engineers and provide guidance, mentorship, and technical leadership.
• Project Portfolio Delivery: Coordinating the successful delivery of multiple technical multi-disciplinary projects, supporting EM Leads on the design and development of systems for a variety of different technical maturity, demonstrator, engineering trial or design projects. Ensure that EM leads have the resources needed to deliver.
• Technology Design and Development: Collaborate with your team to design, develop, and refine technologies from concept to production, focusing on performance, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Oversee the creation of prototypes and testing activities to evaluate product concepts, identify design flaws, and make necessary improvements.
• Approve and Review Work Packages from planning, design, installation and commissioning of technical projects
• Engineering Analysis: Perform or oversee engineering calculations, simulations, and analyses to optimize product designs for performance, reliability, and safety.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive a culture of innovation and improvement within the team and develop strategies to enhance product design and development processes.
• Project Management: Manage project timelines, budgets, and resources effectively to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Collaboration: Foster effective collaboration with other teams, including designers, researchers, and other engineering disciplines.
• Documentation: Ensure thorough engineering documentation, including design specifications, reports, and technical manuals, is maintained to the highest standards.
• Ensuring Safety, Health and Environment site culture and working practices are upheld

Skills & Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in delivering technical solutions to engineering problems
• 5 years experience in a leadership or management role and management of subcontractors and vendors
• Practical knowledge of working collaboratively cross-disciplines
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Engineering project management of tasks delivering to performance, time and cost.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including writing technical reports.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering or relevant science, or equivalent experience following other routes e.g. apprenticeship