At Atlassian Williams F1 Team, our journey is powered by engineering excellence. Every upgrade and new idea comes from engineers working with purpose and leaders who help them unlock their best work. Engineering leaders guide the choices that shape our car and set the direction for how we grow.
If you're interested in F1 engineering leader jobs or want to understand how engineering leaders make real impact across an F1 team, here’s what the role looks like from the inside.
What do F1 engineering leaders do?
Engineering leadership in Formula 1 is about setting the direction. Leaders take a huge volume of information, from aerodynamics, vehicle performance, simulation, suppliers and trackside insight, and shape it into a clear engineering strategy. Their decisions guide how big ideas translate to performance.
Matt Harman, Technical Director of Engineering, explains that responsibility:
“In my role, I look after the engineering team and all aspects of engineering. This includes the race vehicle and every car programme that we have as well as the technology that we're trying to develop to push the car forward in terms of performance.”
“The role of a leader here at Williams is to inspire. We need to support our younger engineers in becoming great and support our more experienced engineers in unlocking their potential to deliver tight lap times and development to the vehicle.
Different types of engineering leader jobs in Formula 1
Engineering leadership takes many shapes across the factory. Every area contributes to performance in its own way, from long-term technology development to the day-to-day work of getting parts to the car.
Software and systems leadership
Modern F1 engineering relies on world-class software, from simulation tools to trackside analysis. Leaders in the Technology and Innovation Group support developers across the business and make sure the code that underpins our performance is robust and aligned with engineering needs.
As Brandon Grant, Engineering Acceleration Lead, puts it:
“My role is about supporting developers across the business, whether they write code full time or not, and making sure that they can achieve what they're setting out to do and deliver for our engineering customers.”
Methods and manufacturing leadership
Methods leaders streamline the journey from design to production, ensuring parts reach the car as quickly as possible. Gareth Read, Head of Methods Engineering, explains:
“In methods engineering, we provide design for manufacture and production engineer parts through to the car. This helps the car go faster as we’re making sure the parts get through to the car in the quickest time possible to maximise its performance.”
The skills that F1 engineering leaders rely on
Technical knowledge matters, but leadership in F1 goes beyond expertise. It’s about judgment, communication, and the ability to steady a team when priorities move fast.
Engineering leaders often excel in:
- Clear and concise communication
- Strategic thinking and prioritisation
- Collaborative, inclusive leadership
- Resilience during rapid change
- Commitment to improvement
- Accountability for outcomes
Why build an engineering leadership career at Williams
Engineering leaders join Williams because they want to be a part of something meaningful. Our engineering leaders come from all kinds of different sectors and educational backgrounds, but what they share is ambition and a desire to help shape the next era of our team.
For Matt, the opportunity stood out immediately:
“The project attracted me here. I realised that as much as I love the winning, it’s the journey to get there that’s most enjoyable.”
“We’re clear and concise with objectives and provide clear development paths for everyone. Thanks to the growth of the team, there are so many opportunities for young and experienced engineers to develop their talent.”
Gareth captures why leadership at Williams feels so purposeful:
“Creating the winning formula is about empowering individuals to be their very best, and to deliver what they can to add that 10th of a second towards the car.”
Brandon reflects on what motivates him each day:
“I’ve loved every minute of my time at Williams. I really enjoy that everyone’s working towards the same goal. We all want to see the car go around the track as quickly as possible and I love being in that environment.”
If you're earlier in your journey, our early careers pathways help you build the foundations you need for a future leadership role.
Lead the way at Williams
If you're exploring engineering leader jobs in F1 or ready to take the next step in your career, there’s never been a more exciting time to join Atlassian Williams F1 Team. You’ll guide talented people, shape how we work and help create the winning formula that takes us back to the front.
Explore our leadership opportunities and find your place today.
