Role: Lead Innovation Engineer
Employer: HiDef Aerial Surveying Limited
Location: Workington
Salary: £42,000
Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time, Mon-Fri
Benefits:

• Profit share scheme.
• 33 days annual leave per annum, including public holidays.
• 4% company pension contribution.
• Private medical and dental care scheme.
• Medicash scheme.
• Group Life Assurance.
• Salary sacrifice schemes including Pension Salary Exchange, Cycle to Work scheme, and help towards the purchase of ultra-low emission vehicles.

HiDef Aerial Surveying Ltd is an industry leader in digital aerial surveys and marine environmental consultancy, with a global footprint across ten countries. It delivers high-quality environmental data and analysis that supports the offshore renewables sector and conservation efforts worldwide.

Together and as part of ongoing growth, we’re looking for a Lead Innovation Engineer. Reporting to the Head of Technical Services, you’ll be central to our R&D activity – from early-stage concept development to real-world implementation.

What You’ll Do:•

• Lead innovation projects – develop new products, technologies, and services that respond to client and project needs at an international level.

• Lead a team of two experienced and self-sufficient software developers.

• Conduct feasibility studies, build and test prototypes, and support design iterations with a focus on the end user.

• Explore and evaluate emerging technologies, with particular interest in aerial survey systems, sensors, and environmental monitoring platforms to enhance HiDef’s surveying capabilities

• Collaborate across departments – Engineering, Commercial, and Operations – ensuring R&D fits into the bigger picture.

• Take concepts from idea to implementation, supporting delivery through clear project management and stakeholder communication.

• Contribute to innovation tenders, help write technical proposals, and engage with academic and industry partners.

• Help shape how we work – from project strategy to R&D processes – while nurturing a creative, agile, and informed innovation culture.

What You’ll Bring:

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Engineering.

• Strong R&D experience – ideally within environmental monitoring, aviation, or remote sensing technologies.

• An active interest in emerging tech – you’re someone who reads around your subject and has their ear to the ground.

• Experience with prototyping, creative design thinking, and user-led problem solving.

• Comfortable working across disciplines – with developers, project managers, engineers, scientists and commercial teams.

• Proficiency in CAD/design software (AutoCAD or similar), and a good working knowledge of project management tools and methods.

• Proven track record of seeing innovation through from concept to implementation.

Ready to lead, shape, and innovate? If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you!

Don't meet every single requirement? At Realise, we are dedicated to helping our clients build diverse, inclusive and authentic workplaces, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we would encourage you to apply anyway! You might be just the candidate we're looking for!

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