Graduate Optical Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Easter Howgate; Hybrid; GBP 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence and security company in the UK is seeking a Graduate Optical Engineer. Join the 18-month Graduate Program to tackle real-world engineering challenges and progress towards attaining Optical Engineer level. Applicants should possess a minimum of a 2:1 master’s degree and relevant experience in photonics. The position offers a starting salary of £34,000 and various benefits, including a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Generous leave with flexi-days

Up to 15% employer contribution to pension

Free mental health support

Bonus scheme

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Flexible benefits up to £500

Qualifications

• A minimum of a 2:1 master’s degree or a higher, such as an EngD or PhD.
• Relevant experience of photonics, such as summer placements, internships or research projects.
• Experience with technical writing and project planning.

Responsibilities

• Manage your own development towards attaining Optical Engineer level.
• Learn core concepts required for increasing manufacturing rates.
• Support optical procurement and product team in design changes.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Modelling skills

Laboratory skills

Experience in team collaboration

Enthusiasm for photonics

Education

2:1 master’s degree or higher

Tools

Zemax Optics Studio

Matlab

LabVIEW

COMSOL

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 bigger—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.

Our 18‑month Graduate Programmes give you the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects alongside subject matter experts.

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.

At Leonardo we have a fantastic new opportunity for a graduate to join the Advanced Targeting line of business as an Optical Engineer. Your role as a Graduate Optical Engineer will be solve real‑world engineering challenges, designing and developing mission‑critical solutions that power some of the world’s most advanced defence and security systems under the guidance and support of experienced Optical Engineers.

What you’ll do as a Graduate Optical Engineer

As a Graduate Optical Engineer, you will manage your own development towards attaining Optical Engineer level through the Graduate Development Scheme over 18 months.

To achieve this goal, you will be placed in programmes responsible progressing different parts of a product life cycle:

• New product introduction: tasked with learning the core concepts required to increase the manufacturing rate, such as modelling an existing to designs to identify root‑cause analysis of observed problems and use of metrology to validate theories.
• Detailed product design: responsible for developing or improving existing designs and supporting the transfer of optical models into a detailed optical and system requirements.
• Novel concepts: to develop technologies both future and improvement of existing products.

Throughout these placements you will learn skills required to communicate technical concepts across a wide array of disciplines. You will be expected support optical procurement and the wider product team in the creation and changing of drawings, tolerancing and how to develop of experiments to prove capability of your designs. Finally, you will be tasked performing technical reviews to assess the limits on technical capability and for creating and conducting optical tests to lower the technical risks of novel EO‑Systems and solutions identified as part of wider technological reviews.

What you’ll bring

• A minimum of a 2:1 master’s degree or a higher, such as an EngD or PhD.
• Relevant experience of photonics, such as summer placements, internships or research projects.
• Experience with technical writing and project planning.
• Strong analytical, modelling skills and laboratory skills.
• Evidence of successfully working in a team.
• Enthusiasm for photonics and an interest in developing your technical capabilities.
• Experience of modelling tools such as Zemax Optics Studio, Matlab, LabVIEW, and COMSOL (or equivalent) is desirable.

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—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.

Be part of something bigger – apply now!

Primary Location: GB - Edinburgh

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid