Independent Technical Authority

Leonardo UK Ltd; England; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace and defense company is seeking an Independent Technical Authority to provide assurance of product compliance and ensure regulatory adherence. Located in Luton, the role involves overseeing quality across Electronic Warfare products and includes hybrid work options. Ideal candidates will have a background in product certification, hands-on experience with airborne standards, and familiarity with relevant regulatory frameworks.

Benefits

Generous leave and flexi-days

Award-winning pension scheme

Free mental health support

Bonus scheme for employees

Access to online learning courses

Flexible benefits including private healthcare

Qualifications

• Recognized as a Subject Matter Expert in a relevant domain.
• Hands-on experience with airborne product certification.
• Familiarity with managing Product Safety for airborne products.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent assurance and Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE) support.
• Define certification basis for airborne applications.
• Chair design reviews on product safety and compliance.

Skills

Product certification

Knowledge of regulatory environments

Expertise in Software or Electronics/Hardware

Training and awareness course delivery

Education

Chartered Engineer (CEng)

Job description

Overview

Leonardo’s Electronic division has a rich heritage in Electronic Warfare with over 100 years of history and providing the latest advances in radio frequency technology to our military customers in the UK and further afield.

Our Design Integrity department are currently recruiting for an Independent Technical Authority to join their industrious team. One of the primary focuses of your role will be to provide independent assurance of product compliance in support of design certification, mostly within the airborne domain. You will be accountable for the integrity of products within Electronic Warfare and Major Air Programmes lines of business led out of Luton, which includes products under development at Filton, Southampton, Lincoln and Edinburgh. You will review and check release artefacts such as Declarations of Design Performance (DDP), F100A and Product Integrity Certificates. You will also provide SME advice and guidance to technical leads and program chief engineers. When required, you will help define the required assurance activities for new and innovative ways of working. This is a hybrid role and can be based out of Luton, Lincoln, Bristol, or Southampton with regular travel within the UK and occasional international trips.

Responsibilities

Your duties will include:

• Influence Product Safety, Security and Environmental Impact management decisions for Electronic Warfare (EW) and Future Combat Air Systems (FCA) across the full Product lifecycle, from design and manufacture through in-service support to decommissioning.
• Provide independent assurance and Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE) support for design certification of Leonardo products.
• Define the certification basis for products developed for high integrity airborne applications.
• Provide input and advice to product development teams, acting as a consultant to ensure regulatory requirements are understood, products are producible, safe, secure, legal, fit for purpose, and reliable in their intended environment.
• Review and approve Declarations of Conformity against relevant UK, EU and global legislation, consulting SMEs as needed.
• Chair design reviews on products, systems and services within domain expertise.
• Participate in Product Safety and security Panels and company working groups to monitor proposed changes to the regulatory environment.
• Review Integrated Project Team Engineering Plans to ensure they comply with company policy, especially design governance and certification activities.
• Provide independent specialist guidance on best practices, standards and legislation.
• Contribute to the development of Subject Matter Experts within the line of business.
• Participate in vendor assessments to understand their capabilities.
• Operate as a deputy company signature and board signature for design certification under AS9100D and DAOS accreditations.
• Deputise for the Chief Engineer Design Integrity within the wider company organisation.
• Represent Design Integrity, Leonardo Electronics within external interest forums.
• Develop and deliver training courses and speak with confidence on regulatory matters, governance and certification.

What you’ll bring

• Recognised as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in a relevant domain and for a technology area such as Software or Electronics/Hardware.
• Hands-on experience of product certification to recognised standards including Integration, Test, Evaluation and Acceptance (ITEA) for airborne products.
• Familiarity with managing Product Safety and understanding regulatory environments for airborne products (e.g., MAA, EASA).
• Ideally Chartered Engineer (CEng) and familiarity with managing product security and cyber.
• Understanding of DO-178C, DO254 or similar standards.
• Experience delivering training and awareness courses and working with others to identify future regulatory needs.
• Active membership in external specialist groups or forums.

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, potentially including meeting eligibility for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information, please visit: LeonardoCareers security and vetting information for UK applicants.

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports 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: Generous leave with up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and inclusive networks.
• Rewarding Performance: Bonus scheme for employees at management level and below.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Financial referral rewards.
• Tailored Perks: Flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships, and more.
• Flexible working: Hybrid working options; discuss part-time possibilities with us.

For a full list of our company benefits, please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security, headquartered in Italy with over 53,000 employees worldwide. Our UK sites include 9 locations with 8,500 employees. We are committed to an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. If you have accessibility requirements during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location: GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Additional Locations: GB - Bristol - Coldharbour Lane, GB - Lincoln, GB - Southampton

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid