Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Engineer / Test Design Engineer

Location: Cheadle, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

We are seeking an experienced Test Design Engineer/Architect with a focus on Test Solutions to join our engineering function. In this role, you will define and deliver innovative, robust, and scalable test architectures to support the development, verification, and validation of complex aerospace and defence systems.

As a key member of the engineering team, you will ensure that our test strategies align with customer requirements (including MOD standards), programme needs, and long-term product sustainment. You will shape the technical direction of test systems across the product lifecycle, working at the interface between design engineering, integration, and our customers.

Location(s): Crawley or Reading or Cheadle or Bristol or Glasgow or any other Thales site in the UK

Key Responsibilities

Lead the design and architecture of test solutions for complex aerospace and defence systems, ensuring compliance with MOD and industry standards

Define test strategies, frameworks, and architectures to support product development, verification, qualification, and in-service support

Translate system and customer requirements into effective test system requirements and architectures

Ensure test solutions integrate seamlessly with hardware, software, and system environments

Work closely with design engineers, test engineers, and programme managers to ensure traceability and compliance throughout the lifecycle

Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to multidisciplinary engineering teams

Contribute to bid and proposal activity, providing technical input to estimates, schedules, and solution concepts

Engage directly with key stakeholders to ensure alignment with defence standards, policies, and best practices

Drive innovation in test methods, including automation, digital twins, and model-based test approaches

Required Skills & Experience

Proven experience as a Test Systems Architect / Test Systems Engineer

Strong background in test system design and architecture

Experience of integrating hardware, software, and COTS solutions into test

Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to interface with customers

Demonstrable ability to work across the full system lifecycle – from concept through to in-service support

Desirable Skills

Experience with test automation

Knowledge of safety, security, and information assurance in defence systems

What We Offer

Opportunity to shape next-generation test systems for critical aerospace and defence programmes

Work on challenging projects with direct impact on UK defence capability

Professional development support, including chartership and advanced training

Hybrid and flexible working options.

Security Clearance Requirement

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a Non-ITAR country may be considered. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!