ILS Engineer

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 have a new opportunity for an experienced Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) Engineer to join the Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems (IAS) business line based at our Belfast site.

As an ILS Engineer, you will play a key role in ensuring supportability is designed into our products and services from the earliest stages of the lifecycle. You will work across multi-disciplinary teams to develop and help deliver support solutions that optimise availability, maintainability, reliability and whole life cost.

This is an opportunity to apply your specialist support engineering knowledge in a complex environment, contributing to the success of critical programmes and helping shape sustainable support solutions for our customers.

This position would be ideal for someone with experience working as a Technical Support Engineer who possesses a broad understanding of equipment support requirements and a defence engineering background.

Location – Belfast

What You'll Be Doing

• Carrying out detailed Supportability Analysis (SA) and Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) tasks
• Ensuring that the current capability meets the program supportability needs
• Work within the Systems Engineering process to ensure support is formally considered and addressed
• Continuously improve programme supportability engineering performance
• Develop and maintain ILS-related plans in line with the programme and customer requirements.
• Provides ILS inputs to short notice Bids and address ad-hoc technical queries relevant to ILS
• Analyse in-service data and recommend improvements to enhance R&M and operational performance
• Identify and manage ILS risks, issues and opportunities throughout the product lifecycle
• Production of Whole Life Costs (WLC) data
• Engage with key stakeholders as required to conduct a Level of Repair Analysis (LORA)
• Planning and conduct Maintenance Task Analysis (MTA)
• Managing the DRACAS process and reporting through regular Defect Review Boards (DRBs) for monitored programmes

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for someone who brings strong technical capability, pragmatic sound judgement and a proactive, collaborative approach.

• Degree qualifications in Engineering, Systems Engineering or a related discipline, or HND Engineering qualified with significant experience.
• Experience working as a Supportability or Reliability Engineer with a good understanding of reliability and maintainability principles
• Experience preparing formal ILS documentation and supportability deliverables.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Cleared with or eligible for UK SC clearance
• Proficient with IT
• Full UK driver’s licence
• Fluent in English
• Be proficient in the use of a range of commercial and Thales-specific tools and databases, e.g. Reliability Workbench, MS Office suite
• Be familiar with standards relevant to ILS, e.g. UK MoD Defence Standards

Desirable experience:

• Experience working within Defence, Aerospace, Maritime, Military or MoD
• Familiarity with configuration management, technical publications and training support interfaces
• Exposure to obsolescence management and life-cycle asset support
• Experience supporting customer reviews, audits, tenders or gated project reviews
• Professional registration or progress toward chartered status

Why Join Thales?

Benefits include:

• Performance-related bonus
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Option to buy additional leave
• 24 hours paid volunteering leave
• Matched pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental wellbeing support
• Retail discount schemes
• Gym membership discounts

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 Security Clearance (SC). 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. 

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.

Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels.

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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.

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