Systems Integration & Test Lead

Systems Integration & Test Lead (Maritime/Defence Technology)

We're working with an innovative defence technology client looking to appoint a Systems Integration & Test Lead to take ownership of integration and test across complex, next generation maritime and autonomous systems.

This is an opportunity for an experienced SI&T professional with a background in Royal Navy, maritime or naval autonomy programmes to play a key role in designing, integrating and testing advanced autonomous products. You'll be responsible for leading integration and test on significant programmes while developing a reusable test and evaluation capability that will underpin future engineering projects across the business.

You’ll bring hands-on experience designing, building and executing tests on complex maritime systems, alongside the technical leadership to establish best practice and raise engineering standards across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the integration and test of complex systems incorporating software, hardware, networks, radios, sensors and user devices.


• Design and execute rigorous, repeatable test strategies for rapidly evolving maritime autonomous products and systems.


• Develop reusable test infrastructure, automation frameworks, simulation and emulation environments, and hardware-in-the-loop capability.


• Automate test execution, data capture and analysis to improve engineering feedback and system performance.


• Work closely with systems, software, hardware and product engineering teams to ensure testability is embedded throughout the development lifecycle.


• Establish consistent integration, verification and validation processes, including defect management and full lifecycle closure.


• Provide technical leadership across SI&T, developing engineering standards, methodologies and best practice for use across multiple programmes.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience in systems integration and test engineering across complex hardware, software and communications based systems.


• Ideally, a background in Royal Navy, maritime defence, naval autonomy, uncrewed surface or underwater systems, or other maritime technology programmes.


• Demonstrable experience designing, building and executing test regimes for real-world autonomous or mission-critical products.


• Strong understanding of distributed communications systems, including network performance, communications bearers and spectrum-related trade-offs.


• Practical test automation and scripting experience, ideally using Python, alongside CI/CD, version control and modern engineering tooling.


• Experience with test infrastructure such as hardware-in-the-loop, simulation, emulation, network impairment, instrumentation or automated test frameworks.


• The ability to lead technically, establish engineering standards and develop reusable capabilities across multiple programmes.

Desirable Experience

• RF, communications, electronic warfare or sensing technologies.


• Defence, Royal Navy, aerospace, space or other safety  or mission-critical environments.


• Autonomous systems, robotics, uncrewed platforms or maritime sensor integration.


• Model-based systems engineering or formal verification and validation within regulated environments.

The Opportunity

This is a hands on technical leadership position for someone who wants to influence how complex defence systems are designed, integrated and tested. You'll have the opportunity to shape the SI&T discipline, build capability from the ground up and contribute directly to the delivery of advanced maritime autonomous technology.

If you have a background in maritime or naval autonomy and are looking to take ownership of integration and test across cutting-edge defence programmes, we'd be keen to hear from you.