Chief Engineer

Leonardo; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Leonardo UK is offering a strategic leadership role as National Chief Engineer and Design Authority for GCAP DEOS. Based in Edinburgh, you will drive technical coherence, architecture integrity, and long-term strategy within a complex multi‑national programme, collaborating with government and industry partners.

The role demands exceptional leadership, decision-making, and ability to operate at programme and national stakeholder levels across optical, mechanical, hardware, and electro‑mechanical

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in complex systems engineering, ideally within electro‑optics, sensing, or advanced electronic systems.
• Proven track record in system architecture leadership and design authority roles.
• Strong background in concept development and advanced system design.

Responsibilities

• Act as UK National Design Authority for GCAP Distributed EO System.
• Lead Sensor Head maturation programme including prototypes, pre-production models, and production development.
• Ensure solution aligns with UK national objectives and aspirations.
• Lead system and physical architecture, ensuring alignment across opto-mechanical design and multifunction capability.
• Define the technical baseline and embody the design solution.
• Drive systems engineering activities: design development, verification, validation, qualification testing, and change management.
• Lead concept generation, solution development, and trade studies across the lifecycle.
• Provide technical governance and approve engineering artefacts and qualification evidence.
• Engage with national stakeholders across government, industry partners, and customers.
• Ensure integration across optical, mechanical, hardware, and electro‑mechanical systems.
• Support safety, security, and airworthiness activities.
• Lead technical reviews and robust system-level decision-making.

Skills

Systems engineering

Architecture leadership

Concept development

Stakeholder management

Leadership & decision-making

Defence programmes experience

DOORS/Teamcenter

Tools

DOORS/Teamcenter

Job description

Your Impact

Leonardo’s Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) Distributed Electro Optics System (DEOS) programme represents one of the most significant next‑generation defence avionics developments in Europe. This is a rare career‑defining opportunity to step into a pivotal national technical leadership role, reporting to the GCAP DEOS Chief Engineer and International System Design Authority (SDA), at the heart of a world‑class engineering organisation with decades of airborne EO systems expertise.

Job Description

Leonardo’s Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) Distributed Electro Optics System (DEOS) programme represents one of the most significant next‑generation defence avionics developments in Europe. This is a rare career‑defining opportunity to step into a pivotal national technical leadership role, reporting to the GCAP DEOS Chief Engineer and International System Design Authority (SDA), at the heart of a world‑class engineering organisation with decades of airborne EO systems expertise.

Why This Role Matters

As the National Chief Engineer and Design Authority, you will provide overall technical leadership across the GCAP DEOS Sensor Head, within Leonardo Electronics UK. You will be accountable for system‑level coherence, architecture integrity, and long‑term technical strategy within a highly complex multi‑national programme. Your decisions will directly influence future capability, export potential, and the UK’s position within GCAP. The National Chief Engineer and Design Authority is a critical role within the Chief Engineering team, supporting international decision making while representing and safeguarding UK Freedom of Action and Freedom of Modification. The appropriate candidate may be asked to deputise for the International SDA when necessary.

This is more than an appointment — it is a strategic leadership position with significant influence across industry and government stakeholders.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Accountable to the GCAP DEOS Chief Engineer and International SDA, you will act as the UK National Design Authority for GCAP Distributed EO System.
• Lead the critical Sensor Head Maturation Programme including prototypes, pre‑production C‑Models and eventually production development.
• Ensure that the jointly developed solution satisfies UK National objectives and aspirations.
• Lead system and physical architecture, ensuring alignment across opto‑mechanical design and multifunction capability.
• Responsible for the embodiment of the design solution and for defining the technical baseline.
• Drive systems engineering activities including design development, design verification, validation, qualification test, and authorisation for change management.
• Lead concept generation, solution development, and trade studies across the system lifecycle.
• Provide technical governance and approval of key engineering artefacts, including compliance matrices and qualification evidence.
• Engage with national stakeholders across government, industry partners, and customers.
• Ensure integration across subsystem domains including optical, mechanical, hardware and electro‑mechanical systems.
• Support safety, security, and airworthiness activities.
• Lead technical reviews and ensure robust decision‑making at system level.

What You’ll Bring

• Extensive experience in complex systems engineering, ideally within electro‑optics, sensing, or advanced electronic systems.
• Proven track record in system architecture leadership and design authority roles.
• Strong background in concept development and advanced system design.
• Ability to operate at programme and national stakeholder level.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and decision‑making skills.
• Experience within multi‑partner defence programmes and familiarity with tools such as DOORS/Teamcenter (desirable).

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre‑employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company‑funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo UK operates a grade‑based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they’re key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Primary Location

GB – Edinburgh

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Onsite