Head of Engineering

Salary: £100,000 - 100,000 per year

Requirements:

• Active UK Security Clearance (SC and above) is mandatory.
• Deep expertise in the V-Model and systems-of-systems thinking.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 15288, IEC 61508, and familiarity with AI risk frameworks such as ISO/IEC 23894 where applicable.
• Significant hands-on experience in IT, data, and cloud platforms, including AWS and/or Azure.
• Significant experience across multiple defence domains with a strong understanding of relevant commercial frameworks, DEFCONs, DSP, and MoD technical standards.
• Ability to operate with C-suite gravitas, translating complex technical and safety risks into clear strategic and commercial choices.
• Right to work in the UK without sponsorship and continuous UK residency for the last 5 years, due to security clearance requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the technical mission and provide high-level technical oversight for modern, cloud-native software delivery.
• Act as the ultimate technical authority for our system of systems, owning architectural integrity across design, integration, and test.
• Oversee hardware-software interfaces and pure software platforms.
• Own the application of established standards and provide engineering oversight and process rigour in high-security and safety-critical domains.
• Provide technical oversight for software engineering teams and ensure Agile, DevSecOps, and CI/CD practices align with the system V-lifecycle and safety requirements.
• Establish and track KPIs for engineering performance and provide data-driven reporting on technical risk, system maturity, and delivery health to our Exec and Board.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead elite engineering teams, instilling systems thinking and the V-Model lifecycle across our club.
• Lead the technical strategy for major defence tenders and translate MoD requirements into high-confidence estimates and architectural blueprints.
• Ensure bids are technically sound, commercially viable, and compliant with relevant standards.
• Identify and architect AI-driven solutions for complex defence challenges where applicable.
• Integrate AI and Machine Learning into systems engineering for mission problems such as predictive maintenance or autonomous ISTAR.
• Work with our in-house AI team and provide practical input to shape internal IRAD for real-world utility in contested environments.

Technologies:

• AI
• AWS
• Architect
• Azure
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• DevSecOps
• Hardware
• Machine Learning
• Security
• GCP
• Support
• LESS

More:

We are Zaizis dedicated club for Defence, and we are looking for a heavyweight Head of Engineering to lead our technical mission. You will report to the Club Exec and play a central role in translating high-level mission objectives into rigorous engineering roadmaps while providing assurance and performance reporting for our most complex sovereign programmes. We work with UK Central Government departments on mission-critical projects that secure and improve the UKs digital infrastructure. We offer a salary of £90,000 to £115,000, annual pay reviews, a pension with employer contributions starting at 5% and rising to 8%, group life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, buy/sell holiday options, two paid volunteering days, 10 paid days for Reservist Military Service, funded certifications with paid study leave, a £500 personal choice fund, coaching and team training, private medical insurance, hybrid working, a WFH equipment allowance, and a Cycle to Work scheme. We actively welcome diverse applicants and can provide reasonable adjustments during the interview process.

last updated 30 week of 2026