Chief / Lead Systems Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Basildon; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Chief/Lead Systems Engineer to guide and enhance their Systems Engineering capabilities. This pivotal role involves leading high-performing teams, influencing engineering artefacts, and ensuring stakeholder satisfaction within a complex and dynamic environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate a passion for systems thinking, provide direction on governance processes, and support a culture of continuous improvement. With flexible working options and a competitive benefits package, this opportunity allows you to make a significant impact on innovative projects while enjoying a fulfilling work-life balance.

Benefits

Flexible Working

Private Healthcare

Dental Schemes

25 Days Holidays

Award Winning Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounted Gym Membership

Free Online Courses via Coursera

Bonus Scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Chief/Lead Engineer with governance on Systems Engineering.
• Strong leadership and decision-making skills in complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance on Systems Engineering governance and capability improvement.
• Influence development of engineering artefacts and stakeholder satisfaction.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Decision Making

Communication Skills

Influencing Skills

Systems Thinking

Agile Mindset

Education

Relevant Engineering Degree

Tools

Model Based Systems Engineering Tools

Cameo Systems Modeler

Matlab

Simulink

DOORS

Job description

Job Description:

Leonardo is excited to offer a new and immediate opportunity for a Chief / Lead Systems Engineer.

Working at a leadership level, you will support activities within our Integrated Sensing and Protection (ISP) business. This is a senior role can be based at either Leonardo sites in Basildon or Southampton.

Another fantastic opportunity for you to utilise and develop your current skills within an industry leading technology company. Working on real engineering problems and supporting teams designing and developing solutions that sit at the heart of our products… Not to mention, we offer an award winning package.

As the Chief/Lead Systems Engineer you will act as the focal point for Systems Engineering Governance and trend our Systems Engineering capability in a positive direction. You will support Systems Engineering capability and improvement matters across the Business Areas, providing proactive guidance to senior stakeholders on Systems Thinking and Methods for adoption that aligns with successful project execution.

What we build is exciting, interesting, challenging and complex. A diverse product portfolio of technologies, with each programme at a different stage in its development lifecycle. Given this complexity, it requires each programme to connect with the “Art of Systems Engineering” to ensure we are doing the right activities at the right time.

The focus of this role is to provide direction, guidance and expertise to ensure:

• Our systems engineering team assess the problem completely
• Our teams reuse techniques and artefacts across the portfolio of projects
• Our teams manage complexity through architecting our systems well
• Our teams predict and mitigate emergent behaviours when operating at a system or integrated systems level
• Our projects create and enact the correct verification and validation strategy

To be successful you will demonstrate passion for your trade by instilling a systems-thinking approach based on experience forming and leading high performing teams. Using your skills as an influencer, you will thrive in dynamic environments, with the ability to make decisions quickly under pressure and set a clear technical vision for the team on Systems Engineering methodologies.

Given the extensive people engagement nature of the work we are still able to offer custom working that allows for a combination of home and on-site working i.e. flexible working delivering effective results. Day to day duties include;

• Influence the development of Engineering artefacts, their technical direction and ultimately stakeholder satisfaction
• You will work across a highly demanding and complex area of the business, immersed in full-scale development programmes spanning the breadth of the engineering lifecycle across the ISR and Force Protection teams
• Act as the focal point for systems engineering governance, supporting Lifecycle Management (LCM) activities
• Provide expertise and guidance to ensure our engineers understand the problem completely and stakeholder needs through effective coaching on Systems Engineering practices (early and later lifecycle stages)
• Ensure the appropriate level of concepting, modelling and simulation techniques are used across the lifecycle to inform architectures and solution options
• Influence whole life design considerations relating to Safety, Security, Manufacture, Test, Supportability, Through Life Support in line with company processes
• Support quarterly threat and mitigation reviews across the Business Area’s on project status and enabling initiatives (e.g. capability, capacity, competency)
• Represent Leonardo within Systems Engineering bodies and groups of interest, such as INCOSE
• Identify trends across the Business Area’s, capturing and sharing lessons learned to improve the quality and efficiency of future work
• Promote an agile mind-set to systems engineering, building a culture of experimentation and failing fast
• Collaborate with your peers in similar roles across the UK to promote a culture of continual learning and improvement, acting as a change agent for systems engineering

About You

You will have proven experience as a Chief/Lead Engineer (or role with similar responsibilities), with the following attributes;

• Experience in applying governance and guidance on Systems Engineering LCM process
• Experience working in Integrated Project Teams delivering Engineering artefacts successfully
• Experience in eliciting stakeholder expectations
• Experience in creating and defining architectures
• Experience in managing and collaborating with internal/external stakeholders
• Proven leadership and decision-making skills in a high complexity, dynamic environment at a senior level
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, proven ability to build trust and respect at different levels (An effective influencer)
• Motivation, tenacity and determination, with a desire to deliver outputs and results

The following experience/skills are very desirable;

• Experience with Model Based Systems Engineering tools and methodologies
• Experience working on largescale Systems Integration programmes, having managed issues associated with cost, schedule & quality implications
• Domain experience any of the following specialisms; Telecommunications, RF, Electronic Warfare, Electro-Optics, Air/Land/Sea sub-system Platform Integration, Data Distribution Services, Sensor Fusion, AI/Machine Learning
• Practitioner level ability using Model Driven Engineering tool e.g. Cameo Systems Modeler, Matlab, Simulink, DOORS (classic)

All successful applicants must be eligible for full security clearance and access to UK-caveated and ITAR controlled information.

What we Offer

A competitive salary based on your experience and skills and an award winning benefits package that includes;

• Flexible Working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us.
• Company funded flexible benefits: Access to private healthcare, dental schemes, Workplace ISA, Go Green Car Scheme, technology and lifestyle options (£500 annual allowance)
• Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays, option to buy/sell leave and to accrue up to 12 additional flexi leave days per year
• Pension: Award winning pension scheme (up to 10% employer contribution)
• Wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme with access to free mental health support, financial wellbeing support and network groups to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to diversity & inclusion (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Reservists, Carers)
• Lifestyle: Discounted Gym membership, Cycle to work scheme
• Training: Free access to more than 4000 online courses via Coursera
• Bonus: Scheme in place for all employees at management level and below

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

Primary Location:

GB - Basildon

Additional Locations:

GB - Southampton

Contract Type:

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid