Sonar Maintenance Training Instructor

Location: Cheadle, United Kingdom

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 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.

Sonar Maintenance Training Instructor

Location: Cheadle (Hybrid Working)

Our Opportunity:

As the European number one in defence electronics and the world number two in defence radio communications, Thales is a leading name in the global defence and security markets. In addition to equipping over 40 naval forces across the globe, we have a proud 125-year heritage here in the UK. Today that is represented in our key role delivering the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier and our provision of advanced radio equipment to all of the Royal Navy’s surface combatants.

Join us as a leading member of the Systems Engineering Team based at the Thales site in the Cheadle Heath office near Manchester. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with Thales sites in the UK and overseas.
 

About the role:

The Operability Expertise cell, a job family within the Systems Engineering team at Cheadle Heath, are responsible for all Operator, Maintainer and Human Factors related activities for Submarine, Surface Ships and Airborne Sonar and Command and Control systems including UI design and evaluation, training design and delivery, end-user engagement including operability workshops and human-in-the-loop experimentation. In addition, the cell is responsible for seeking new and innovative methods of working across the Combat System designed to improve operability, maintainability, enhance situational awareness, enhance user experience, and reduce workload and ultimately crewing requirements.

A vacancy has arisen for an experienced 2076 Subject Matter Expert Sonar Maintainer, to work across domestic and export products and programmes including self-funded initiatives.

The role and overview of key responsibilities 

• Produce and maintain full DSAT Training material for Maintainer training
• Deliver DSAT training to the RN
• Review system designs from an RN maintainer perspective and recognise potential shortfalls that will hinder or prevent preventative or corrective maintenance
• Seek innovative solutions to improve the maintainability and fault logging of Thales products
• Liaise with the research community to recommend new algorithm development to improve the ‘Brief Command’ aspect of maintenance
• Conduct system related trials in harbour and at sea
• Provide Systems Engineering HCI modelling and design capability in support of Thales Sonar projects
• Support business development initiatives
• Produce maintainer training documentation for new / spiral developments
• Support sea trials
• Liaise with key customer stakeholders as appropriate.

About You:

You will have:

• Demonstrable relevant Sonar maintenance experience
• Demonstrable experience of Sonar Signal and Data processing
• Strong analytical abilities with a methodical approach
• Demonstrable relevant experience in the maintenance of Sonar Systems on UK Submarine Platforms
• At least 10 years’ Royal Navy experience including at Senior Rate level
• Foundation Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Willingness to work offsite, including on target platforms in dockyards or at sea
• You are dynamic, innovative and a reliable team player.
• Good communication skills and ready to share knowledge.

Desirable

• Familiar with COTS UI prototyping tools
• Knowledge of maritime domain operations and/or products
• Knowledge of acoustic design and/or performance in underwater environment

Security Clearance statement: 

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a sole UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. 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.

What we can offer:

We’re committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you’ll have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Flexibility

Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Benefits at Thales

Alongside a competitive base salary, we offer a variable compensation plan bonus and benefits package, which includes;

• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00pm

• Pension Scheme

• 201Hrs annual leave (Plus Bank Holidays) 

• Life Cover

• Progression and Development Opportunities

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app

• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

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In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

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.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!