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Aerospace Engineer (Control & Autonomy)

QinetiQ
Farnborough, United Kingdomfull_timeVerifiedPosted 9 Jan 2026

About the role

Package:    Competitive Salary + Benefits
Role ID:      19303

 

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow – we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations, our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Aerospace Engineer at our Farnborough site, where you’ll work with advanced technologies alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.

 

The Role

As a Aerospace Engineer, you’ll play a key role in designing, developing and delivering autonomy solutions that support complex military aviation systems, helping shape the future of crewed and uncrewed operations.

Day-to-day, you’ll take ownership of technical work packages, contribute to research and development activities, and support the integration and testing of autonomy and control technologies from concept through to live trials.

 

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Applying systems engineering principles to the development of control and autonomy solutions
  • Leading or contributing to algorithm development for autonomous and decision-support systems
  • Developing production-level autonomy software using C, ideally C++, with exposure to Matlab
  • Analysing and modelling uncrewed systems within synthetic environments
  • Supporting hardware integration, testing and formally assessed trials in the UK and overseas
  • Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and external partners to deliver operational capability

 

Essential experience of the Aerospace Engineer:

  • Strong experience applying systems engineering principles
  • Proven C programming experience, ideally C++, within complex or safety-critical systems
  • Background in control, autonomy or complex software-based systems
  • Experience with modelling, simulation or algorithm development

 

Essential qualifications for the Aerospace Engineer:

  • Degree in a STEM discipline such as Engineering, Physics or Applied Mathematics

 

We value difference and we don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education. Provided you can demonstrate the required level of experience, technical capability and a willingness to learn, we’d love to hear from you.

 

This role is full time (37 hours per week) based at Farnborough. Hybrid working patterns are available. Travel to other QinetiQ and customer sites, including trial locations in the UK and overseas, will be expected

 

Farnborough

At our Farnborough site exciting work takes place at our state-of-the-art facility, with high-energy laser technologies, our 5m pressurised wind tunnel which has a simulation capability that is unique in the UK and our large research and development projects is a real hub of creativity, research and innovation. Join our talented teams of Engineers, IT & Cyber Specialists, Project Managers, Group Functions Teams and many more to provide future defences in the UK.

 

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Visit our website to read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture. www.qinetiq.com/en/careers/life-at-qinetiq

 

 

Our Benefits

  • Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
  • Generous holiday all

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QinetiQ

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