Strategic Designer

Location: Noida, IndiaThales is a global technology leader trusted by governments, institutions, and enterprises to tackle their most demanding challenges. From quantum applications and artificial intelligence to cybersecurity and 6G innovation, our solutions empower critical decisions rooted in human intelligence. Operating at the forefront of aerospace and space, cybersecurity and digital identity, we’re driven by a mission to build a future we can all trust.Present in India since 1953, Thales is headquartered in Noida and has other operational offices and sites spread across Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru and Mumbai, among others. Over 2200 employees are working with Thales and its joint ventures in India. Since the beginning, Thales has been playing an essential role in India’s growth story by sharing its technologies and expertise in Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital sectors. Thales has two engineering competence centres in India - one in Noida focused on Cyber & Digital business, while the one in Bengaluru focuses on hardware, software and systems engineering capabilities for both the civil and defence sectors, serving global needs. The Group has also established an MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) facility in Gurugram to provide comprehensive avionics maintenance and repair services to Indian airlines and support the growth of the local aviation industry.Position Summary:Digital transformation is underway at Thales, and CDI is expected to play a key role in accelerating this shift.Tools, processes, and culture are all being impacted. Innovation can fully benefit from this transformation—if we truly put the user at the center of our approach.Design Centers play a pivotal role in this transformation:Innovation HubA dedicated open environment where new ideas, prototypes, and concepts can be created, tested, and refined—together with customers, internal teams, and external partners such as universities.Talent DevelopmentA space to upskill engineering teams in innovative mindsets, methodologies, and emerging technology trends.Collaboration PointA bridge between global business strategy and local engineering capabilities, ensuring that technical efforts are aligned with both innovation goals and strategic vision.Essential Functions / Key Areas Of ResponsibilityIn your day-to-day work, you will:Develop a solid understanding of the main business segments and product offerings of the CDI business line to align with business objectives.Identify, coordinate, and grow innovation initiatives across Business Lines (BLs), helping to build a culture of innovation and strengthen maturity through frameworks and tools such as Design Thinking and User Experience (UX) methodologies.Inspire and energize UX-driven development, working with identified catalysts to accelerate innovation activities.Facilitate and support early-stage innovation projects, helping to explore and mature ideas into concrete initiatives.Identify key communication topics to ensure visibility and track progress on major actions and initiatives.Lead and support an innovation coach community to encourage knowledge sharing across practices, training, organization, and tools among BLs.Coordinate with other Thales Design Centers worldwide to ensure alignment and synchronization of tools and practices.Define key innovation success indicators in collaboration with BLs to validate the impact of user-centric methods.Additional mission:As a coach, you will lead co-creation workshops and working sessions within CDI, with external customers, or in collaboration with other GBUs and their clients.Minimum Requirements: Skills, Experience & EducationTo succeed in this role, you should have the following qualities and skills:A strong user-centric mindset and an open, curious attitude.A high level of autonomy and self-motivation.A passion for technology and innovation.Comfort working in a highly technical, engineering-driven environment.The ability to drive innovation across diverse teams, geographies, and cultures—including colleagues in France, the USA, Singapore, and beyond.Solid expertise in innovation practices and Design Thinking methodologies.Strong coaching and facilitation skills, with the ability to both inspire and train others.Proven experience in coaching teams on innovation topics and user-centered approaches.The ability to influence and upskill teams in innovation tools and design methodologies.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with fluency in both spoken and written English.Experience working in an international, cross-cultural environment.Preferred Education And QualificationsMaster’s degree in design, Engineering, Innovation Management, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.Certification or formal training in Design Thinking, UX/UI, or Innovation Coaching5+ years of experience in innovation, user-centered design, or digital transformation projects.Experience facilitating co-creation workshops and leading cross-functional teams.At Thales, we’re committed to fostering a workplace where respect, trust, collaboration, and passion drive everything we do. Here, you’ll feel empowered to bring your best self, thrive in a supportive culture, and love the work you do. Join us, and be part of a team reimagining technology to create solutions that truly make a difference – for a safer, greener, and more inclusive world.