Principal Product Security Engineer

General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of more than 13,000 top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defence and scientific arenas. In the UK, we are leading the way in avionics and communication systems. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency.

General Dynamics in St Leonards-on-Sea currently provide avionic mission computing systems for a wide range of military fast jets, helicopters, and UAV’s. Recent success has resulted in General Dynamics developing the next generation of Advanced High Performance, Safety Critical Mission Computer Systems to meet the needs of latest platforms in development by several aircraft manufacturers. These Mission Computing Systems provide the functionality that integrates aircraft systems, sensor systems and stores management systems with the information and control systems required by the aircrew to meet the demanding operational needs of these aircraft.

Join our security engineering team and help deliver future combat-air capability as part of the GCAP programme. You will work on complex, safety-critical mission-computing systems, embedding security into the product architecture and engineering lifecycle.

Working alongside specialists across systems, software, hardware, safety and certification, you will help ensure that security risks are identified, understood and addressed through robust engineering solutions. This is an opportunity to influence the design of advanced airborne technology while contributing to a strategically important UK defence programme.

This is a product and systems security engineering role, focused on embedding security into complex, safety-critical airborne mission systems.

In this role you will:

• 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 that proposed designs and mitigations support the 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

This role has a salary of between £59,200 and £80,000 plus our flexible benefits package.

We are open to this role being spent with time working from home and in the office (hybrid - typically 3 days working in office) on a weekly basis or fully in our offices.

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose, offering impressive benefits: 

• A compressed nine-day fortnight and compressed hours - which means every other Friday off. 
• A personalized career development plan, alongside regular progress reviews - supporting and valuing your progression within the Company. 
• A flexible working environment where your contributions are recognized and rewarded with flexible benefits 

We believe in maintaining a diverse workplace - inclusive of beliefs, cultural background, job experiences, thoughts and ideas. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we welcome you to join our inclusive team!

Our success is fuelled by our colleagues and the wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills they bring to the Company.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, as such we offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job.
Please email [email protected] if you would like your application to be considered under the DC Scheme.

All successful/appointed applicants must be able to obtain a level of UK Security clearance that is appropriate for the role and undertake suitable Right to work checks.

Every application matters to us. We want you to know that each application we receive is reviewed by a real person—not just an algorithm. Our screening questions are also carefully considered to help us understand your experience and fit for the role.

We appreciate the time you take to apply.