Chief Systems Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Private healthcare

Flexible hours

Training & courses

Bonus eligibility

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd in Southampton seeks a Chief Systems Engineer to guide large, complex programmes and mentor the team. The role demands strong governance, lifecycle management expertise, and extensive stakeholder engagement on defence-focused systems.

Based at a purpose-built site in Southampton, the role offers hybrid working and a competitive London-area salary. You will influence architectures, safety, security, and through-life support while collaborating across UK peers.

Qualifications

• Experience applying governance and guidance on Systems Engineering LCM processes.
• Experience delivering engineering artefacts within Integrated Project Teams.
• Experience eliciting stakeholder expectations.
• Experience creating and defining architectures.
• Experience managing and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven leadership and decision-making at a senior level in a high-complexity environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide direction and expertise to ensure systems engineering problems are assessed fully and architectures are optimized.
• Develop verification and validation strategies for projects.
• Act as focal point for Systems Engineering Governance and support LCM activities.
• Coach engineers on Systems Engineering practices across lifecycle stages.
• Ensure concepting, modelling, and simulation inform architectures and options.
• Influence safety, security, manufacture, test, and through-life support considerations.

Skills

Leadership

Systems engineering

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Communication

Modelling & simulation

Tools

Cameo Systems Modeler

Matlab

Simulink

DOORS

Polarion

Job description

Job Overview

Leonardo has an immediate vacancy for a Chief Systems Engineer to guide large, complex systems engineering programmes and impart knowledge to others. The role is based at our purpose‑built site in Southampton and requires a passion for contributing to the UK’s Defence Industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direction, guidance, and expertise to ensure the systems engineering team assesses problems completely, reuses techniques and artefacts across the portfolio of projects, manages complexity through sound architecture, and predicts and mitigates emergent behaviours.
• Develop the appropriate verification and validation strategy for projects.
• Act as the focal point for Systems Engineering Governance and support Lifecycle Management (LCM) activities.
• Provide expertise and guidance so engineers understand the problem, stakeholder needs, and Systems Engineering practices through effective coaching on 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, and Through‑Life Support, in line with company processes.
• Support quarterly threat and mitigation reviews across the Business Area’s projects, enabling initiatives such as capability, capacity, and competency.
• Represent Leonardo within Systems Engineering bodies and groups of interest such as INCOSE, identify trends, capture lessons learned, and promote continuous improvement.
• Promote an agile mindset to systems engineering, building a culture of experimentation and learning.
• Collaborate with peers across the UK to promote a culture of continual learning and improvement, acting as a change agent for systems engineering.

Day‑to‑Day Duties

• Influence the development of engineering artefacts, their technical direction, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Work across Airborne Comms and Naval Information, Communication System (ICS) teams, immersed in full‑scale development programmes spanning the engineering lifecycle.
• Provide expertise and guidance to ensure engineers understand the problem completely and stakeholder needs through effective coaching on Systems Engineering practices.
• Ensure appropriate concepting, modelling, and simulation techniques are used across the lifecycle to inform architecture 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 projects and enabling initiatives such as capability, capacity, and competency.
• Represent Leonardo within systems engineering bodies and identify trends across the Business Area, capturing and sharing lessons learned.
• Promote an agile mindset to systems engineering, building a culture of experimentation and learning.
• Collaborate with peers in similar roles across the UK to promote a culture of continual learning and act as a change agent for systems engineering.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience in applying governance and guidance on Systems Engineering LCM processes.
• 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 and external stakeholders.
• Proven leadership and decision‑making skills in a high‑complexity, dynamic environment at a senior level.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to build trust and respect at different levels (effective influencer).
• Experience of integration, with an understanding of resultant issues, cost and schedule implications, and potential mitigations.
• Motivation, tenacity and determination, with a desire to deliver outputs and results.

Desirable Experience and Skills

• Experience with Model‑Based Systems Engineering tools and methodologies.
• Experience working on large‑scale systems integration programmes, managing issues associated with cost, schedule and quality implications.
• Domain experience in 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 tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler, Matlab, Simulink, DOORS (classic), Polarion.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre‑employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). Additional National Security Vetting may apply, potentially requiring the SC or DV clearance. For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Salary

Salary: £80,000 to £95,000. Leonardo uses a grade‑based salary framework with benchmarks against the external market.

Benefits

• Generous leave, including up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity.
• Eligibility for a bonus scheme for employees at management level and below.
• Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Referral programme with financial reward.
• Private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships, and more – up to £500 annually on flexible benefits.
• Flexible hours with hybrid working options; part‑time possibilities discussed on request.

Primary Location: Southampton, UK. Contract Type: Permanent. Hybrid Working: Hybrid. International, multicultural, innovative, technological environment.