System Engineer

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

System Engineer

Role ID – C005008

Role Background

NCIA requires a System Engineer to support system-of-systems engineering, requirements management, architecture, integration planning and technical baseline management.

The role has a particular operational focus on Air Command & Control (AirC2), federated mission operations and NATO operational constructs.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to domain architectures across business, infrastructure and functional areas.
• Support specifications for cloud-based and on-premises systems, components, tiers and interfaces.
• Prepare technical plans and apply system design principles.
• Ensure solutions align with enterprise and solution architecture standards, including security.
• Support requirements scoping, definition and prioritisation.
• Elicit and document detailed technical requirements.
• Review requirements for errors and omissions.
• Maintain requirements traceability and contribute to requirements baselines.
• Manage authorised changes to baselined requirements.
• Support technical baseline and interface management.
• Develop integration plans and verification strategies.
• Support system-of-systems engineering and lifecycle management.
• Coordinate resources and stakeholders.
• Monitor and report on development project progress.
• Consider human factors, usability and user journeys in system engineering activities.

Essential Skills

• System-of-systems engineering and lifecycle management
• Requirements engineering and traceability
• IBM DOORS or equivalent structured requirements-management tooling
• Technical baseline management
• Interface management
• Integration planning
• Verification strategy development
• Operational domain knowledge, particularly:
• AirC2
• Federated Mission Operations
• NATO operational constructs
• Human factors and usability analysis
• User journey assessment
• System engineering capabilities
• Domain and user-oriented engineering capabilities.

Desirable:

• Experience working in an international environment containing both military and civilian personnel.
• Knowledge of NATO's organisation, internal structure and relationships.

Experience

The standard requirement is:

BSc + minimum 3 years of post-related experience.

As an exception, a candidate without the required university degree may qualify with at least 5 years of extensive and progressive experience performing duties related to the role.

educations and Certifications

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) from a nationally recognised/certified university.
• Degree must be in a technical subject with substantial IT content.
• Alternatively, at least 5 years of relevant extensive and progressive experience may compensate for the absence of the degree.

Working Location

The Hague, Netherlands

Working Policy

Full-time on-site.

• Start: 8 November 2026
• End: 30 December 2026 with possibility of extension.
• Total scope: 600 hours
• Working conditions: Normal office environment

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance