Graduate Systems Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Wickford; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to recharge: up to 12 flexi-days/

Pension up to 15% employer contrib.

Mental health & wellbeing support

Annual bonus scheme

Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Flexible benefits up to £500

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd. is offering an 18‑month Graduate Programme where you will join a dynamic team to tackle real engineering challenges. You will spend significant time on site at Basildon, developing systems engineering skills and engaging with expert mentors across Sea, Land, Air and space domains.

You will gain hands‑on experience, targeted training, and opportunities to progress into technical or business tracks, with strong support for professional development and security‑clearance readiness.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a lower Second class Bachelor's/Integrated Master’s degree, or a higher degree, such as MSc or PhD, in engineering, mathematics, physics or another STEM discipline.
• Experience in coding/programming.
• Experience in project work and/or placements in industry.
• Solving problems as part of a team and applying science/tech knowledge to real world problems.

Responsibilities

• Work on real engineering problems across Sea, Land, Air and space domains during the programme.
• Be part of a dynamic team providing day-to-day guidance and on‑the‑job training in systems engineering processes, methods, technology and tools.
• Receive targeted training to develop engineering skills and domain knowledge for technical excellence as a Systems Engineer.

Skills

Coding

Project work

Teamwork

STEM knowledge

Education

Lower Second class Bachelor's or MSc/PhD in Engineering/ STEM

Job description

Job Description

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

Your impact

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.

Systems Engineers are involved in all aspects of design and development; from initial product design through to in-service support.

They look at the big picture, determine how the system needs to operate and collaborate to produce the required overall operational behaviours. They also dive into the deepest level of detail – taking the system piece‑by‑piece and defining its design to the finest point. Our Systems Engineers can also actively engage in R&D, developing new concepts and conducting fundamental research into our future technologies.

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.

During the programme, you will:

• Work on real engineering problems and have the opportunity to be involved in supporting a wide range of tasks across multiple projects/products, which covers Sea, Land, Air and space domains.
• Be part of a dynamic and innovative team who will provide day‑to‑day guidance and on‑the‑job training, introducing you to systems engineering processes, methods, technology and tools.
• Receive targeted training, developing the engineering skills and necessary domain knowledge required to achieve technical excellence and be a successful Systems Engineer.

What you’ll bring

All of our Graduate roles require (a) a minimum of an lower Second class Bachelors/Integrated Master’s degree, or (b) a higher degree, such as an MSc or PhD. In all cases the subject should be engineering, mathematics, physics or another STEM discipline.

In addition to this, we would be interested in hearing from you if you have experience in:

• Coding/programming.
• Relevant project work and/or placements in industry.
• Solving problems as part of a team
• Applying your science and technology knowledge to solve a real world problem

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 - Basildon

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid