Technical Operations (Mission Engineering)

Technical Operations Engineer — Defence & Mission Systems | London Hybrid/Field-based | Up to 50% travel We're working with a fast-scaling, VC-backed defense technology company building next-generation sensing and detection systems that protect critical infrastructure and military operations worldwide. Having recently opened their London office, they're now hiring a small team of Technical Operations Engineers to be the boots-on-the-ground link between cutting-edge hardware/software and the customers who depend on it in the field. The Role You'll sit at the intersection of hardware and software — integrating sensors, RF devices, and mission-critical software into customer environments, diagnosing complex issues that span networking, hardware, and code, and building the tools and automation that keep systems reliable under real-world conditions. This isn't a desk job: you'll be embedded on customer sites roughly half your time, solving problems live rather than from a support ticket queue. What you'll be doing Integrating sensor and RF systems with customer infrastructure — physically (networking, power, hardware bring-up) and via software (APIs, data pipelines)Debugging complex issues spanning hardware, software, and networking layersDeveloping scripts, diagnostics, and automation to improve system reliabilityFeeding operational insight back to engineering to directly shape product improvementsDocumenting configurations, fixes, and lessons learned for internal and customer useTraveling to customer and test sites for deployment, troubleshooting, and mission support What we're looking for Strong technical foundation — degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or equivalent hands-on experienceDeep comfort in Linux environments — SSH, networking tools, system-level debuggingProficiency in Python, Bash, or similar scripting/programmingExperience integrating or maintaining hardware or sensor systemsA problem-solver who can operate independently and under pressure, in the fieldGenuine enthusiasm for travel and on-site technical work Nice to have Background in defense, aerospace, or other mission-critical environmentsExperience with telemetry, IoT-style architectures, or distributed systemsExposure to cloud/edge environments (Docker, AWS, Azure)Strong documentation and communication skills — comfortable bridging technical and customer-facing conversations This is a rare opportunity to join a team early, with genuine scope to grow into a technical lead or mentoring position as the London team scales. If you've spent time solving hard problems in demanding, real-world environments — whether that's a military, aerospace, or complex commercial field engineering background — we want to hear from you.