Senior Systems Engineer - Communications
Added 19 Aug · still live
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£52,000
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2124 (78% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £52,000, and NATS is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
This could also be SOC 2126 (Aerospace engineers, If the role were primarily aerospace/avionics systems design rather than communications engineering.) or SOC 2129 (Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified., If the air traffic engineering context outweighs the communications systems specialism.). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
About the role
NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.
Salary: £72,094.66 - £96,126.21
Closing Date: Wednesday 9th September 2026
Purpose Of Job
Manage a team of engineers responsible for aspects of the procurement, safety management, and bringing into service of relevant ATC Systems. Typically, these will be major / complex projects.Will be required to undertake the Engineering Authority roles in supporting relevant ATC Systems through the entire equipment life cycle.
This role is for a Senior Systems Engineer within our communications (Comms) engineering team supporting air traffic operations at UK airports. You will act an Engineering Authority for Comms systems, providing technical support across the full lifecycle from specification and deployment through to operational support and ongoing improvement within a safety-critical environment.You will bring strong experience of communications systems, ideally within regulated or operational environments. The role involves leading delivery engineering teams, supporting multi-site deployments, and managing performance, assurance and change for live systems. You will make confident technical decisions and work closely with stakeholders to ensure systems remain operational, resilient and trusted by operational users.
Key responsibilities: –
Salary: £72,094.66 - £96,126.21
Closing Date: Wednesday 9th September 2026
Purpose Of Job
Manage a team of engineers responsible for aspects of the procurement, safety management, and bringing into service of relevant ATC Systems. Typically, these will be major / complex projects.Will be required to undertake the Engineering Authority roles in supporting relevant ATC Systems through the entire equipment life cycle.
This role is for a Senior Systems Engineer within our communications (Comms) engineering team supporting air traffic operations at UK airports. You will act an Engineering Authority for Comms systems, providing technical support across the full lifecycle from specification and deployment through to operational support and ongoing improvement within a safety-critical environment.You will bring strong experience of communications systems, ideally within regulated or operational environments. The role involves leading delivery engineering teams, supporting multi-site deployments, and managing performance, assurance and change for live systems. You will make confident technical decisions and work closely with stakeholders to ensure systems remain operational, resilient and trusted by operational users.
Key responsibilities: –
- Lead and manage a team of engineers.
- Oversee major projects and ensure strategic alignment.
- Act as the Engineering Authority for complex systems.
- Negotiate and coordinate project requirements and timelines with stakeholders.
- Produce technical specifications for major systems, reviewing wider team’s work.
- Lead production of engineering estimates for project bids.
- Lead and direct tender evaluations and assess technical solutions.
- Support project planning in line with delivery milestones.
- Act as Change Lead for major projects, ensuring change assurance activities are completed.
- Manage day-to-day project activities of team including installation and commissioning.
- Perform acceptance testing and produce test reports, reviewing wider team’s work.
- Produce and review maintenance and operating procedures.
- Ensure engineering deliverables are met according to the project plan.
- Prepare and maintain support documentation for allocated systems.
- Respond to customer technical enquiries and manage Corrective Action Requests.
- Monitor operational systems and conduct investigations into issues and faults.
- Plan and implement modifications to correct issues and faults with minimal disruption.
- Maintain awareness of industry developments affecting airport systems.
- Manage team members within the Section across diverse locations.
- Allocate team resources to project and other activities within area of responsibility.
- Ensure that direct reports and wider team are suitably competent, identifying training needs and support team and personal development as required.
- Ensure the performance of direct reports and wider team is reviewed periodically.
- The post holder commits resources within their direct control to achieve project deliverables within agreed financial limits.
- Lead a team delivering engineering projects and providing Engineering Authority support to current Operation Systems within a particular domain. The post holder is expected to resolve conflicting demands on their time and of the wider team, in consultation with the Head of Section.
- The post holder is required to contribute to delivery of multiple projects at any one time, whilst also fulfilling an EA role, involving different project teams and locations.
- The post holder assists the Head of Section in strategic planning in respect of assets within their area of technical expertise.
- The post holder may be called on to advise and assist operational engineers in order to restore equipment. This may require short notice travel to remote sites.
- Where required, and where agreed, the post holder will deliver structured training and/or carry out structured Competency Assessment Checks within their field of expertise and in accordance with NATS procedures.
- The post holder will be required to undertake tasks within an operational environment therefore will need to demonstrate suitable behaviours.
- The post holder may be required to provide out of hours on-call support for specific systems as designated by the Head of section.
- The post holder is expected to hold, as a minimum, a Higher National Certificate in an Engineering or Information Technology related discipline, and relevant experience. Job holders not holding the expected qualification but who have undertaken structured technical training (e.g. apprenticeship recognised by a professional body) with recognised qualification ideally to at least HNC equivalent level will also be considered.
We are proud to offer a fantastic total reward package to help you thrive both personally and professionally - for more information on what NATS can offer you please visit - Why NATS? - NATS '
We have adopted agile working to provide greater flexibility and increased choice over working arrangements, with the opportunity for this role to work in our modern office facilities as well as remotely. We also welcome discussions on flexible and part-time working arrangements.
If you share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe – we would like to hear from you whatever your age, sex, race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity,
gender expression, visible or invisible disability. Individuals that bring different perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds help us be at the forefront of our industry.
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with NATS, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
SOC 2124 · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · ~17k in sampleP25 £41kP75 £63k
£41kmedian £49kgoing rate £52k£63k
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Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. NATS holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2124 going rate of £52,000. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.