Principal Product Security Engineer
// Role Summary
General Dynamics Mission Systems is seeking a Product and Systems Security Engineer to embed security into complex, safety-critical airborne mission systems for the GCAP programme. This role offers the chance to influence advanced airborne technology and contribute to a strategically important UK defence initiative.
// Key Responsibilities
- Lead product security architecture and define security strategy for complex airborne mission systems.
- Perform threat modelling, vulnerability analysis, and security risk assessments.
- Provide technical authority and security advice across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Engage with customers, partners, and assurance stakeholders on complex security matters.
- Experience in defence, aerospace, or safety-critical engineering is essential.
- This is a hybrid role with a competitive salary and benefits package.
// Role Specification
Product and Systems Security Engineering Role
General Dynamics Mission Systems is a leader in high-technology solutions for defence and scientific applications. We are seeking a talented Security Engineer to join our team in St Leonards-on-Sea, focusing on embedding security into complex, safety-critical airborne mission systems as part of the GCAP programme. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the design of advanced airborne technology and contribute to a strategically important UK defence programme.
About the Role
As a Product and Systems Security Engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring security risks are identified, understood, and addressed through robust engineering solutions. You will work closely with specialists across systems, software, hardware, safety, and certification to embed security throughout the product architecture and engineering lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own and lead the product-security architecture for complex airborne mission systems.
- Define the security strategy, requirements, and secure-by-design approach across the programme lifecycle.
- Lead threat modelling, vulnerability analysis, security risk assessment, and accreditation activities.
- Provide technical authority and informed security advice across systems, software, and hardware engineering.
- Make and communicate proportionate security decisions, balancing operational capability, technical risk, and programme constraints.
- Lead engagement with customers, programme partners, and relevant assurance stakeholders.
- Review security evidence and ensure proposed designs and mitigations support required assurance outcomes.
- Coach and provide technical guidance to security and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Drive the adoption of consistent product-security methods, tools, and good practice across the programme.
Essential Experience:
- Significant experience developing or leading product-security or systems-security architecture for complex engineered products.
- Knowledge of Secure by Design principles and relevant product and systems security standards, ideally gained within defence, aerospace, or another safety-critical engineering environment.
- Strong experience defining security requirements and secure-by-design approaches at system or product level.
- Experience leading threat modelling, security risk assessment, and vulnerability analysis activities.
- Experience providing technical leadership and making security architecture decisions across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Knowledge of cryptographic principles and their application within secure products or systems.
- Experience engaging with customers, partners, and assurance stakeholders on complex security matters.
- Ability to translate security threats and risks into practical engineering requirements and design decisions.
- Degree-level qualification in engineering, computer science, cyber security, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
Desirable Experience:
- Experience in aerospace, defence, avionics, mission systems, embedded systems, or other safety-critical products.
- Experience acting as a product-security technical authority, security architect, or engineering lead.
- Knowledge of accreditation, certification, and security-assurance approaches within regulated environments.
- Experience coaching or technically leading security engineers.
- Familiarity with digital engineering, model-based systems engineering, or requirements-management tools.
- Experience working with or familiarity with AI/ML models is preferred.
What We Offer:
This role offers a salary between £59,200 and £80,000, plus a flexible benefits package. We are open to a hybrid working arrangement (typically 3 days in office) or full-time office-based work. We are committed to providing an excellent work environment with impressive benefits, including:
- A compressed nine-day fortnight with every other Friday off.
- Personalized career development plans and regular progress reviews.
- A flexible working environment with recognized contributions and flexible benefits.
General Dynamics Mission Systems is a Disability Confident Employer and offers an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria. We welcome and value diversity and inclusivity in our workplace.