Airworthiness Approvals Lead – Defence Programme

Leonardo; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to Recharge: up to 12 flexi-days/

Pension scheme with employer contrib.

Mental health support

Coursera/LinkedIn Learning access

Hybrid working

Job summary

Leonardo is seeking an Airworthiness Approvals Lead to shape the future of the Future Combat Air programme. The role, hybrid with bases including Luton, involves sustaining DAOS and developing a new organisational approval framework ahead of GCAP milestones.

You will liaise with UK MAA/EASA regulators, coordinate with international partners, and guide certification submissions while maintaining a rigorous audit and compliance posture.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in aerospace engineering with airworthiness focus.
• Experience with UK MAA MRP, EASA CS-25, Def Stan 00-970, EMAR Part 21, MIL-HDBK-516.
• Experience with DAOS Expositions development/maintenance.
• Experience with design reviews, audits, regulatory meetings.
• Experience interpreting regulator notices and amendments.
• Excellent technical writing and reviewing skills for safety reports and certification submissions.

Responsibilities

• Represent Leonardo in GCAP forums as an Airworthiness Design Organisation SME.
• Maintain knowledge of UK MAA and EASA regulatory environments.
• Collaborate with international partners in DETO for Office of Airworthiness & Qualification.
• Work with Design Integrity Chief Engineers and safety leads to ensure consistency.
• Maintain DAOS Exposition and assess regulatory publications’ impact.
• Contribute to G2E/Domain groups to monitor regulatory changes.
• Develop a tri-national approach to delivering airworthy systems for GCAP.

Skills

Airworthiness certification

Regulatory knowledge

DAOS Expositions

Design reviews

Technical writing

Education

Master's degree in aerospace engineering

Job description

Leonardo is seeking an Airworthiness Approvals Lead to shape the future of the Future Combat Air programme. The role, hybrid with bases including Luton, involves sustaining DAOS and developing a new organisational approval framework ahead of GCAP milestones.

You will liaise with UK MAA/EASA regulators, coordinate with international partners, and guide certification submissions while maintaining a rigorous audit and compliance posture.