Graduate Continuous Improvement Engineer

Leonardo; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Employee stock ownership

Private healthcare

Flexible benefits allowance

Mental health support

Job summary

Leonardo in Edinburgh is offering a 12-month Graduate Continuous Improvement Engineer programme. You will design production layouts, lead CI projects, and develop KPI tracking while spending most time on site to learn from cross-functional teams.

The programme provides hands-on experience in Lean, Six Sigma and Kaizen, supported by a structured development path and exposure to real defence-grade manufacturing environments, with security clearances as required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2:2 Bachelor’s/Master’s degree or higher (MSc/PhD).
• Disciplines include Engineering, Maths/Science, Computing & Digital, Business & Professional degrees.

Responsibilities

• Design electronic production layouts using Lean tools to improve productivity.
• Lead cross-functional improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies.
• Analyse workflows to identify bottlenecks, waste and opportunities for optimisation.
• Assist with/facilitate workshops and training sessions to upskill teams in continuous improvement tools and techniques.
• Develop and track KPIs to measure the success of improvement initiatives.
• Ensure the sustainability of our changes.

Skills

Lean

Six Sigma

Kaizen

Data analysis

Facilitation

Education

Engineering degree

Math/Science degree

Computing & Digital degree

Business & Professional Degrees

Job description

Job Description:

Your impact

Are you ready to launch your career and make an impact on real-world projects from day one?

At Leonardo, we're looking for graduates who want to be part of something extraordinary- shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

We are committed to developing our graduates into leading technical or business professionals, and as such we will also support you through your preferred route for professional development.

Leonardo is an international leader in electronic and information technologies for defence systems, aerospace, data, infrastructures, land security and protection, and sustainable 'smart' solutions.

Our 12-month Graduate Programme:

Our Graduate Programmes give you the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects alongside industry leaders.

Our Continuous Improvement Mission

We're on a mission to make excellence our everyday standard. As a forward-thinking organisation, we believe that both big and small, consistent improvements lead to extraordinary results—for our customers and our people. Whether it's streamlining processes, reducing waste, or empowering cross functional teams to innovate and problem solve, we're committed to creating a culture where progress never stops.

On joining, you will receive a starting salary of £34,000 per annum, plus a £1,000 welcome bonus. You'll also be eligible for a £1,000 exit bonus upon successful completion of the programme. In addition, you may be eligible for a Temporary Accommodation Allowance (TAA), subject to specific criteria.

We encourage you to spend at least three days each week on site to integrate with your team and maximise your learning experience. Depending on the project you are placed with, there could be a requirement for five days per week on site.

As a Graduate Continuous Improvement Engineer, you will

• Design electronic production layouts using Lean tools to improve productivity.
• Facilitate cross-functional improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies.
• Analyse workflows and data to identify bottlenecks, waste, and opportunities for optimisation.
• Assist with/facilitate workshops and training sessions to upskill teams in continuous improvement tools and techniques. Developing an imbedded excitement and culture of CI in manufacturing.
• Develop and track KPIs to measure the success of improvement initiatives.
• Ensure the sustainability of our changes.

What You'll Bring

• Knowledge or strong interest of Lean, Six Sigma or similar methodologies.
• Excellent facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills—you can bring people with you on the journey.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights, ideally qualified to engineering degree level or equivalent work experience.
• Resilience, adaptability, and a passion for making things better every day

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of a 2:2 Bachelor’s/Integrated Master’s degree, or higher degree, such as MSc or PhD.
• For this role, acceptable degree disciplines include:
  • Engineering degrees
  • Maths and Science degrees
  • Computing & Digital degrees
  • Business & Professional Degrees

A full statement of courses and projects studied at university and corresponding grades/marks/percentage should be included in your CV.

Security Clearance

Many of our roles are subject to security and export control restrictions set by UK Government Security requirements and customer obligations. As a result, and in line with the UK Government Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) requirements, all successful applicants will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record declaration information and employment and/or education history verification for the previous five years.

For staff operating in more sensitive posts, there is an additional range of personnel security controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV). As part of this process, a range of factors may be considered, including an individual’s background, travel history, nationality, previous nationalities held and other information relevant to the vetting assessment.

To be eligible for National Security Vetting at SC level, applicants will generally be expected to have continuously resided in the UK for the previous five years. For DV clearance, this is typically ten years. In some circumstances, time spent overseas may be accepted, with additional overseas checks. Additional vetting requirements may apply upon appointment.

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, key contributors in shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

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 are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Join in our success: Our annual Employee Stock Ownership Plan provides you the opportunity to own shares in Leonardo.
• Tailored perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/company-benefits

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, communities 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