Lead Software Engineer – Information Advantage

Leonardo; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to Recharge

Pension scheme

Mental health support

Bonus scheme

Access to online courses (Coursera/LI)

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a Lead Software Engineer for the Information Advantage team across multiple sites in the UK. You will blend hands-on development with technical leadership to design, integrate and deliver secure, high-quality software for mission-critical aerospace, defence and security applications.

You will guide a team through architecture, detailed design, reviews and CI/CD practices, while staying technically hands-on and mentoring engineers.

Qualifications

• Significant software engineering experience or equivalent capability.
• Proficiency in multiple programming languages (C++, C#, Python, Java).
• Understanding of SOLID design principles and design patterns.
• Knowledge of software architecture and interfaces and system integration.
• Experience in testing and software quality assurance.
• Ability to mentor engineers and provide technical guidance.
• Understanding of secure software development practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day technical delivery of software within a team or work package.
• Design, develop, integrate and test complex software solutions.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching and mentoring to other software engineers.
• Contribute to software architecture and own detailed software design.
• Lead and participate in code, design and technical reviews.
• Collaborate with systems engineers, architects, data scientists, tests and customers.
• Apply Secure by Design and modern engineering practices.

Skills

C++

C#

Python

Java

SOLID

Architecture

Interfaces

Testing

Mentoring

Secure SDLC

Lifecycle

Communication

Job description

Job Description

Lead Software Engineer – Information Advantage

Location: UK Hybrid, across multiple Leonardo sites

About The Role

Join Leonardo's Information Advantage team and help lead the development of software that transforms complex data into useful, timely information for mission-critical Aerospace, Defence and Security applications.

As a Lead Software Engineer, you will combine hands-on software engineering with technical leadership, guiding a team through the design, development, integration and delivery of secure, resilient and high-quality software.

You could work on capabilities including Command & Control, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Situational Awareness, AI-enabled Decision Support and Data Exploitation.

Lead the team. Stay technical. Solve complex problems. Deliver Information Advantage.

What You'll Do

• Lead the day-to-day technical delivery of software within a team or work package.
• Design, develop, integrate and test complex software solutions.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching and mentoring to other software engineers.
• Contribute to software architecture and take ownership of detailed software design.
• Lead and contribute to code, design and technical reviews.
• Work closely with systems engineers, architects, data scientists, test engineers and customers.
• Apply Secure by Design and high-quality software engineering practices.
• Promote automation, CI/CD, DevSecOps and modern engineering practices.
• Investigate technical problems and help the team identify effective solutions.
• Support technical planning, estimation, risk management and delivery.
• Ensure software meets its functional, performance, security and quality requirements.

What We're Looking For

You’ll be an experienced software engineer who enjoys remaining technically involved while helping others succeed.

You will be comfortable taking ownership, making technical decisions, solving complex problems and providing direction to a software engineering team.

Essential Skills & Experience

Significant software engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrable capability.

• C++, C#, Python, Java
• Designing and delivering software components and systems.
• Software design principles including SOLID principles and design patterns
• Software architecture
• Interfaces and system integration
• Testing and software quality
• Providing technical guidance or mentoring to other engineers.
• Understanding of secure software development practices.
• Working across the software engineering lifecycle.
• Communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Desirable Experience

Experience in one or more of the following would be beneficial:

• Aerospace, Defence, Security or Government environments.
• Command & Control (C2), ISR, Sensor Fusion or Mission Systems.
• Distributed or data-intensive systems.
• Cloud-native software and containerisation.
• DevSecOps and CI/CD.
• AI, Machine Learning or Data Analytics.
• High-integrity or mission-critical software.

The Person

Technical Leadership

Provides clear technical direction while remaining close to the engineering.

Agency and Ownership

Takes responsibility for outcomes, identifies problems early and drives them through to resolution.

Collaboration

Works effectively across software, systems, data, test and other engineering disciplines.

Coaching and Mentoring

Supports less-experienced engineers and helps build the capability of the wider team.

Engineering Judgement

Makes pragmatic technical decisions by balancing requirements, risk, quality, cost and schedule.

Continuous Improvement

Looks for better ways to design, develop, test and deliver software.

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

Additional Locations

GB - Basildon, GB - Edinburgh, GB - Lincoln, GB - Newcastle, GB - Southampton

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Onsite