# Design Authority - Flight Avionics at Thales

Thales is hiring a Design Authority - Flight Avionics. Level rates it Little AI ●○○○; you can [apply on Thales](https://jobsbylevel.com/go/fbf896ab-29e0-46c4-b3bf-ac083c4b26f5?utm_medium=ai-agent).

AI Level 1, AI centrality 0 out of 100. Crawley.

## Details

- Company: [Thales](https://jobsbylevel.com/companies/thales)
- AI level: AI Level 1 (score 0 out of 100)
- Location: Crawley
- Posted: November 3, 2026
- Apply: https://jobsbylevel.com/go/fbf896ab-29e0-46c4-b3bf-ac083c4b26f5?utm_medium=ai-agent
- Free CV review for this job: https://jobsbylevel.com/cv-review?job=design-authority-flight-avionics-at-thales-69ab2a

## Prepare for this job

The job page lists 5 likely interview questions for this offer, with a CV checklist: https://jobsbylevel.com/jobs/design-authority-flight-avionics-at-thales-69ab2a

## Description

Location: Crawley, United Kingdom 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 are seeking a Design Authority to take on a critical technical leadership role within a complex aerospace and defence environment. This position sits at the heart of engineering governance, providing independent assurance that solutions are viable, compliant, safe, and deliverable across the full lifecycle—from bid through to in-service delivery. This is not a hands-on design role. It is a high-impact position focused on technical oversight, decision authority, and risk validation across advanced avionics and mission systems programmes. Shaping future skies together for a safer planet. We contribute to all major aircraft programmes—Air Transport, Business Jets, Military Aircraft, Helicopters, eVTOL and UAVs—and we’re committed to creating avionics that are ever more sustainable, connected and supportive of the world we share. The Role As Design Authority, you will act as the technical gatekeeper for major programmes and product developments. You will independently assess solution architectures, technologies, and delivery strategies, ensuring they meet operational, regulatory, and commercial expectations before approval. You will engage with senior stakeholders across engineering, product, safety, cyber, and commercial functions, influencing key decisions and ensuring robust technical governance throughout. Key Responsibilities Provide independent validation of solution feasibility across architecture, technology, cost, schedule, and risk Approve Design Validation (DVa) and support certification activities including Certificate of Design (CoD) / Design Performance (DDP) Ensure compliance with civil and military aerospace regulations, safety standards, and cybersecurity requirements Assess system maturity, integration strategies, and supplier capabilities Oversee risk identification and mitigation planning across bids and programmes Support design reviews, baseline decisions, and critical issue resolution Ensure safety cases are robust, risks are ALARP, and liability exposure is controlled Report on key technical risks and assurance outcomes to senior leadership and governance boards Coach and support engineering teams, improving decision-making quality and capability development Experience Required Strong domain expertise in one or more of the following: Flight avionics Military communication systems Navigation or mission management systems Proven experience in systems engineering leadership within safety-critical aerospace or defence programmes Deep understanding of system architectures, integration, and complex trade-offs Experience working within regulated environments (e.g. DO-178, ARP4754, MIL standards) Strong background in requirements engineering, risk management, and design assurance Ability to lead technical reviews, challenge assumptions, and make evidence-based decisions What We’re Looking For A credible technical authority capable of influencing at senior level without direct line control Strong communicator who can translate complex technical issues for non-technical stakeholders Confident decision-maker, comfortable operating under uncertainty and managing risk Passion for mentoring and developing engineering capability Why Apply? This is a rare opportunity to shape and assure cutting-edge aerospace systems at a strategic level, with direct impact on programme success, safety, and business outcomes. 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 you to be

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