Project Design Authority
Thales, Templecombe, United Kingdom
Thales provides defense and armed forces customers with operational advantage across land, sea and air. The Project Design Authority will be responsible for solution compliance on bids or projects predominantly for hardware, acting as the primary technical leader of the bid or project team and the lead technical interface with the customer. Where required, the PDA may also act as the principal systems engineer on the bid or project.
Key Responsibilities and Tasks
* Analyse customer needs/requirements and assess solution architecture and technical choices.
* Ensure solution compliance with customer needs, product policy, company strategy and applicable legislation, rules and regulations.
* Review technical risks and opportunities and associated mitigation plans throughout the bid or project.
* Balance customer requirements and product policy against schedule, cost, strategy and risk.
* Check the production and maintenance/service aspects of the solution with production and service engineering managers.
* Approve the technical specification and source selection of subsystems/products to be outsourced, considering make‑team‑buy policy, export restrictions and offset requirements.
* Verify that the engineering environment is consistent with company instruction and overall solution cost, technical risk and schedule.
* Ensure that the solution design accounts for contract requirements and applicable legislation, rules and regulations, including product safety, security and environmental/HSE requirements.
* Approve the design and justification file prepared by the solution architect.
* Approve the completion of integration, verification, validation and qualification results.
* Perform complexity profiling with the solution architect and engineering delivery manager.
* Alert relevant technical directorates of any issues.
* Lead primary bid/project engineering reviews and approve main engineering deliverables at each milestone.
* Organise technical meetings and peer reviews with engineering delivery manager and other stakeholders.
* Maintain sound understanding of the development lifecycle and lifecycle products.
* Interface with clients to define the solution.
* Keep abreast of technical developments within and outside the company.
Experience & Qualifications
* Technical proficiency in one or more relevant disciplines (e.g., radio communication systems, sonar, processing, outboard hardware). Knowledge of business case generation, resource planning and budgetary control is desirable.
* Experience in requirements capture, modelling & analysis, system design, product development and integration verification & validation.
* Experience with whole systems engineering lifecycles for complex systems.
* Proven technical/project experience in critical control systems engineering.
* Desirable experience as a technical authority in research and low TRL technology and solution development.
* Good technical writing and interpersonal communication skills.
* Leadership skills and ability to build and sustain good working relationships at all levels.
* First‑class presentation skills and ability to manage relationships across the business.
* On‑budget, on‑time delivery with a focus on customer value.
* Effective personal organisation and ability to remain focused under pressure.
Essential Requirements
* Degree qualified in a related subject.
* Chartered Engineer status.
* HND/Degree in a relevant subject or equivalent.
* Evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment/education history for up to three years.
* Some vacancies may require full security clearance.
Employment Details
* Seniority level: Not Applicable
* Employment type: Full‑time
Values & Behaviours
* Think Big – Imagine the future. Inspire to engage.
* Make It Happen – Deliver user‑centric solutions. Act with agility.
* Together – Grow others and self. Include others.
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