System Development Engineer

RAVEN Team, Royal Air Force • Leeming, England, United Kingdom

March 2022 - May 2023

Certificates: Linux+ ce Certification • Cisco Certified Network Professional (Enterprise) • Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation • Web Developer Bootcamp 2022 • Security+ ce Certification • Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Core
Honours & Awards: Armed Forces Churchill Medal Award Finalists • Royal Air Force Station Innovation Award

System Development Engineer

System Development Engineer for the Raven secure deployable communications system, responsible for architecting, and implementing enhancements across the platform to improve capability, reliability, and security for UK Defence users. Combined broad technical expertise with hands-on delivery to develop and integrate new features, streamline operations, and continually evolve the system in line with emerging operational and cyber requirements.

Key Achievements/Projects:

• Developed and implemented a full automation system for deployed site build/configuration, reducing manual deployment time from 3 months to 5 days. Enabled junior engineers to independently manage the process, optimising senior personnel for high-value tasks and directly supported delivery of customer sites across 7 operations and 5 testing exercises all delivered within a condensed timeframe.
• Awarded the RAF Innovation Award for designing, prototyping, and deploying (within 1 month) a first-of-type clandestine expeditionary UK MoD SECRET solution for non-technical personnel, overcoming bearer-agnostic connectivity challenges on a system not designed for field use. Outperformed industry timelines and remains UK Defence’s sole low-SWaP SECRET capability 2+ years later.
• Implemented Windows and Linux server automation for reliable scaling and de-scaling of UK hub infrastructure, reducing manual effort and improving operational flexibility.
• Led a 6-person team to architect and deploy the communications backbone for the UK’s Air Policing mission, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical digital infrastructure to meet NATO commitments.
• Applied ITIL principles to introduce enhanced service management processes, improving fault reporting and rectification, critical to the systems success on its first live operations.
• Trained junior team members on complex fault-finding techniques and Raven system operations, building team capability that directly contributed to successful delivery across multiple operations, exercises, and new feature development.