Product Design Authority

Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems (IAS) UK designs, manufactures and services a range of cutting-edge technologies and capabilities ranging from air surveillance and mission planning solutions to missile and space propulsion systems. An opportunity has arisen for a Product Design Authority (PDA) to apply their experience and skills to lead a multidiscipline team in the final stage of product qualification and onward service delivery of a deployable Air Traffic Management (ATM) system. The role covers all aspects of the solution qualification and delivery ranging from verification and acceptance into service by customer regulatory authorities to supporting operational delivery of the air traffic control and management capability. This role initially focuses on solution compliance and customer acceptance ensuring that all contractual stakeholders needs are met and will then transition into the service support phase ensuring in-service quality targets are met. Primary Purpose: The PDA is responsible for solution compliance of the ATM system to customer and regulatory requirements as well as established standards. Key Interactions: The PDA is primarily responsible to the IAS Technical Director for Solution compliance as well as being the main interface with the customer in terms of the technical scope and risks. The PDA working with the Product and Engineering Delivery Managers will ensure on-time delivery of the technical capability to cost and quality requirements.,

• Acts as the primary technical leader of the product team acting as lead technical interface with the Customer.
• Prepares the Design Validation (DVa) form and submits it to the Design Authority (DA) approval.
• Ensures the solution compliance with product polices and requirements, as well as applicable legislation & regulations (i.e. Cybersecurity, export restrictions, Environmental/HSE, safety..)
• The PDA ensures that the technical solution and choices meet customer/product requirements whilst balancing and aligning with cost-effectiveness, innovation, performance and schedule needs.
• Monitor, review, advise and assist with technical issues across the programme.
• Reviews and manages together with the EDM (Engineering Delivery Manager) the technical risks and opportunities and the related mitigation plans.
• Approves the main product engineering reviews and deliverables.
• Organises, when appropriate, technical meetings with architects, Subject Matter Experts (SME), the EDM and other stakeholders (industry, services, specialists.), in order to perform the solution technical assessment and validation.
  
  Experience: 7-10 years in a PDA or equivalent technical leadership role.
Systems Engineering: Comprehensive knowledge, particularly in requirements engineering and customer acceptance. Compliance: Proven track record in ensuring technical solutions meet customer, product, and regulatory/legislative requirements (e.g. cybersecurity, environmental/HSE, safety), while balancing cost-effectiveness, innovation, performance, and schedule needs. Engineering Lifecycle: Demonstrated experience with various engineering lifecycles, including formal solution verification, validation, and qualification activities. Team Leadership: Proven ability to lead multi-discipline teams, interacting effectively with all levels of the organization, from executive management to project execution. Communication Skills: Strong communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with cross-functional teams and stakeholders. Customer Management: Excellent customer and stakeholder management skills, both internal and external to the business. Attention to Detail: Possesses strong attention to detail, inquisitive and rigorous reviewing skills, along with the ability to analyse and synthesize data from various sources to provide insightful commentary and reporting. Problem-Solving: Capable of generating and initiating innovative solutions to complex problems. Strategic Decision-Making: Ability to balance strategic perspective with tactical decisions to make the most effective technical choices for the program. Leadership: Strong leadership and influencing skills for making both technical and non-technical decisions that benefit the program and the future direction of the business. Commercial Awareness: Demonstrates commercial awareness within the technical domain. Technical Writing: Excellent technical writing, communication, and analytical skills, including a strong command of the English language, both written and oral. Desirable Skills & Experience:
• ATM/C and/or Air Operations experience
• MAA / Release to service experience
Essential Qualifications:
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in Science and/or Engineering
Special Requirements:
• Ability to travel in the UK and internationally.
  
  Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.
Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that's why we offer you the flexibility to do what's important to you; whether that's part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions. Project Design Authority Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems. Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across five major industries; Aerospace, Defence, Ground Transportation, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that's why we offer you the flexibility to do what's important to you; whether that's part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your, At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.