Research & Innovation Engineer (Visual Signalling)
Permanent
Harwich
£47,498.00 - 54,998.00 per annum (Successful candidates will be appointed on the starting salary of this range)
37 hours per week
Trinity House works for the benefit and safety of all mariners as a General Lighthouse Authority and maritime charity. Our people are central to our reputation as a leading maritime organisation, as is our commitment as an employer to developing the skills, capabilities and potential of our workforce.
Do you enjoy supporting innovation at a national and international
level?
Would you like to be a part
of a highly-respected team of experts on cutting-edge technology that makes a
real difference to keeping all safe at sea?
If so, this role could be for you!
The GLA Research and Development (GRAD) team support the
development of new and emerging marine aids-to-navigation (AtoN) technologies for
the General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland (GLA): Trinity House,
Northern Lighthouse Board and Irish Lights. The team is world renowned and trusted for its expertise, which is used
to develop novel ideas, through system development, trials and ultimately
working to secure international standardisation.
The role:
This role supports delivery of visual signalling projects within
the department, working on aspects such as refining the cooling design of LED
light sources, on-site light intensity measurement of lighthouses and
investigations into the use of drones for visual signalling performance
confirmation. The jobholder will manage these types of projects, as well as carry
out technical tasks and write reports to inform GLA colleagues of key
conclusions.
These projects are focussed on the ensuring that the GLAs can
provide a robust visual signalling service to the mariner by developing new
products, design tools for engineers and carrying out light measurements. The
visual signalling team also provides a source of specialist knowledge and
experience that the GLA can rely upon to help them provide the best service as
possible.
Who we are
looking for
Being a small team, the candidate will be able to influence the
direction and planning of projects within GRAD. As such, an open minded,
innovative and driven individual is required in the role. The individual will
also be required to work alongside other engineers to manage, maintain and use
the light measurement facilities in Harwich. Experience of working with marine
visual signals is desirable, but not essential as training can be provided to
the successful candidate.
The candidate would be expected to concentrate their efforts on
visual signalling, although there will be opportunities to work in other areas
of GRAD such as radionavigation and communication services. This provides the candidate
with the potential to broaden their knowledge and experience.
Ideally, the candidate will hold a science or engineering degree,
or equivalent experience. They should
have practical experience of engineering in a marine environment, be able to
communicate technical matters in an effective manner and have good project
management skills.
Whilst the department provides research and development
capabilities to support all three general lighthouse authorities of the UK and
Ireland, the contract of employment will be with Trinity House. This post will
be located with the GRAD team in Harwich, although we offer flexible working
arrangements. The role will require some national and international travel,
including to Ireland. A full UK driving licence is essential, as the role requires
driving. Since some of the work requires safe manual handling practices at
lighthouses, including some with only helicopter or boat access, the candidate
should be reasonably physically fit.
This is a great opportunity for an individual to influence the direction of future marine aids-to-navigation whilst working in a supportive friendly team!
If
you would like to discuss this role in any way, please feel free to contact the
Principal Visual Signalling Engineer, Dr Alwyn Williams, on grad.recruitment@gla-rad.org to arrange an informal chat. For more about who we
are and what we do, please visit the GRAD website at www.gla-rad.org.
Interview: week commencing 23rd March 2026
Click here to view the role profile.
We welcome qualified individuals to apply and we look
forward to reviewing your applications for this exciting opportunity. We are committed to equity within a respectful, diverse and inclusive
environment.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please complete the online application process, by submitting your CV along with a supporting statement, evidencing how you meet the role requirements.
