Principal Mathematical Modeller

Thales Stockport, England, United Kingdom

Location: Cheadle, Templecombe, or Crawley, requires full-time presence at our location.

Step into a senior technical role at the cutting edge of UK sonar innovation – where your expertise will shape breakthrough technologies for Royal Navy platforms and drive forward‑thinking research in underwater defence!

• Be at the forefront of UK sonar research:
  General Sonar Studies (GSS) is a post‑doc research group within Thales UK’s Defence Mission Systems, delivering breakthrough innovations for Royal Navy platforms, particularly in Anti‑Submarine Warfare (ASW).
• Drive low‑TRL innovation: GSS leads exploratory studies and concept development for both internal and external customers, tackling the most complex and demanding challenges in underwater defence.
• Collaborate with top‑tier experts:
  Work alongside a fast‑moving, forward‑thinking team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of sonar technology and data exploitation.

Join Thales, the UK’s leading sonar innovator, in a senior technical position at the heart of underwater systems research and development. Reporting to the Head of General Sonar Studies, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sonar and related technologies – applying advanced mathematical and analytical expertise across externally funded studies and internal R&D programmes.

You’ll provide strategic technical leadership, guide progress reporting to senior stakeholders, and produce high‑impact reports, proposals, and scientific papers for both internal audiences and external conferences. Your work will drive innovation and excellence across system engineering, algorithm development, and modelling and simulation – ensuring best practices are embedded throughout the life‑cycle.

This is a full‑time, onsite role due to the classified nature of the work. Remote working is not available.

• Annual bonus (VCP)
• Pension – match like‑for‑like up to 7% of annual base salary
• Life Assurance – 2× base salary minimum (8× salary if part of the pension scheme)
• Income Protection – 50% of salary less state benefits for 5 years
• Annual Leave – 201 hours, bank holidays, plus 1 company day
• Private Medical Insurance – Couples cover
• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 1:00 pm
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• 24 hours paid leave for volunteering activities
• Flexible benefits and discounts – dental insurance, buying & selling annual leave, cycle to work, and many more

• Collaborate within the GSS senior technical management team to shape future research and development strategy, fostering connections across Thales (within export/security constraints), as well as with academic institutions and industry partners – from SMEs to major collaborators.
• Lead innovation initiatives in designated areas, generating novel concepts and solutions that contribute to Thales UK’s expanding R&D programme.
• Provide technical leadership in producing and reviewing reports, presentations, and scientific papers, showcasing innovation to both internal and external audiences.
• Deliver a broad range of technical tasks, including sonar processing algorithm development, AI and autonomy solutions, underwater communications, data fusion and tracking, performance modelling, synthetic environments, and trial planning, execution, and analysis.
• Lead and contribute to complex mathematical and analytical research activities focused on signal and data processing algorithm development.
• Drive the creation of technical bids with a strategic, forward‑looking approach—delivering world‑class solutions tailored to customer needs.
• Mentor junior team members and support the development of a robust GSS capability plan.

At Thales, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don’t match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

• Advanced academic…