Lead Software Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Caddington; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to Recharge

Pension scheme

Private healthcare

Flexible working

Learning & courses

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd in Luton seeks an experienced Lead Software Engineer to take pivotal Technical Authority roles within EW and Future Combat Air programmes. You will lead technical direction, define software architecture, and ensure DO-178C compliance across safety-critical software lifecycles.

The role requires mentoring engineers, collaborating across disciplines, and acting as the technical lead during audits, with strong emphasis on governance and legacy systems familiarity.

Qualifications

• Several years of embedded software engineering experience in aerospace, defence, or other mission/safety-critical domains.
• Ability to set technical direction, defining software architecture and design strategies aligned with platform and system goals.
• Experience ensuring compliance with DO-178C standards or equivalent, and adherence to governance processes.
• Strong skills in technical risk identification and mitigation across software components.
• Hands-on delivery of DO-178C software or equivalent, with lifecycle experience from requirements through to certification.
• Background in technical leadership, including architectural design, risk mitigation, or governance.

Responsibilities

• Take on pivotal Technical Authority roles within EW and Future Combat Air programmes based in Luton.
• Lead technical direction and influence strategy for critical software components or projects.
• Define software architecture and ensure alignment with system goals and safety standards.
• Mentor and coach engineers to uplift capability and promote engineering excellence.
• Collaborate across systems, hardware, and firmware teams to ensure coherent integration.
• Act as the accountable technical lead during audits and reviews.

Skills

Embedded software

Technical direction

DO-178C

Technical risk

DO-178C delivery

Technical leadership

Mentorship

Legacy systems

Export controls

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Technical lead audits

Job description

Job Description

Your Impact

We are seeking experienced Lead Software Engineers to take on pivotal Technical Authority roles within our Electronic Warfare (EW) and Future Combat Air programmes based in Luton.

This role combines technical leadership with strategic influence, offering significant autonomy and responsibility for critical software components or entire projects.

What You'll Bring

• Several years of embedded software engineering experience in aerospace, defence, or other mission/safety-critical domains.
• Ability to set technical direction, defining software architecture and design strategies aligned with platform and system goals.
• Experience ensuring compliance with DO-178C standards or equivalent, and adherence to internal governance processes.
• Strong skills in technical risk identification and mitigation across software components.
• Hands-on delivery of DO-178C software or equivalent, with lifecycle experience from requirements through to certification.
• A background in technical leadership, including architectural design, risk mitigation, or technical governance.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and coach engineers, uplifting capability and promoting software engineering excellence.
• Familiarity with legacy systems, export controls, interoperability, and long-term product evolution.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines, working closely with systems, hardware, and firmware teams to ensure coherent integration.
• Commitment to championing design integrity, acting as the accountable technical lead during audits and reviews.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

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. 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 at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

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

Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo 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 and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Primary Location

GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Hybrid