Lead Systems Engineer

Leonardo UK; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to Recharge

Pension scheme

Mental health support

Bonus scheme

Online courses (Coursera/LinkedIn)

Referral programme

Flexible benefits

Hybrid working

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer to drive LEUK technical delivery of a complex, in-service HF communications system at Basildon. You will provide technical leadership, define architectures, elicit requirements and guide end-to-end delivery while coordinating with software, RF, hardware and test teams.

You will act as Design Authority, engage with customers, and steer bids, proposals and verification activities to ensure lifecycle needs are met and obsolescence, safety and security

Qualifications

• Strong experience applying Systems Engineering across the full lifecycle.
• Experience as technical authority or owning system architectures.
• Experience eliciting, refining and decomposing customer requirements.
• Experience defining and evaluating technical solutions and proposals.
• Understanding of software development and its integration within complex systems.
• Experience with internal and external stakeholders, including customers.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• Ability to make technical decisions in a complex, dynamic environment.
• Motivation, tenacity and strong technical ownership.

Responsibilities

• Act as IPT's Design Authority for the HF communications system, owning key technical decisions.
• Lead technical meetings and reviews with the customer.
• Elicit, define, refine and decompose customer requirements.
• Define and maintain system architectures and interfaces.
• Provide technical input into bids, proposals and change activities.
• Support in-service capability and future development across lifecycle.
• Collaborate with software, RF, hardware and test teams for end-to-end coherence.
• Undertake hands-on activity including configuring reference systems for test and demonstration.

Skills

Systems engineering

Technical leadership

Requirements elicitation

System architecture

Stakeholder management

Verification & Validation

Bid support

Hands-on engineering

Job description

Are you an experienced Systems Engineer who loves contributing to the international Defence Industry and making impactful change? We are recruiting for a Lead Systems Engineer to drive LEUK technical delivery of a complex, in-service Communications Systems, working on real engineering problems and shaping solutions that sit at the heart of our operational capability. This vacancy will be based at our Basildon site. As the Lead Systems Engineer, you will act as the project team's Design Authority for the system, providing leadership across Systems Engineering activities and acting as the primary technical interface with stakeholders. You will support the definition, refinement and delivery of technical solutions, ensuring the system continues to meet operational needs throughout its lifecycle. What we build is exciting, interesting, challenging and complex. The system is already in service and evolving, requiring a balance of systems thinking, technical depth and hands‑on engineering. Given this complexity, it requires a strong application of the "Art of Systems Engineering" to ensure we are doing the right activities at the right time.

The focus of this role is to provide direction, guidance and technical authority to ensure:

• Customer requirements are fully understood, refined, decomposed and traced into system solutions.
• The system architecture is clearly defined, controlled and maintained.
• Technical proposals and design decisions are robust, justified and aligned with customer expectations.
• System integration across software, RF and hardware elements is coherent and well managed.
• Verification and validation activities demonstrate compliance with operational needs.

To be successful, you will demonstrate passion for your trade through strong technical leadership and ownership of complex systems. You will be comfortable operating as a technical lead, making sound engineering decisions and setting a clear technical direction while working closely with customers and internal teams.

Day‑to‑day duties include:

• Act as IPT's Design Authority for the HF communications system, owning key technical decisions.
• Serve as the technical point of contact for the customer, leading and contributing to frequent technical meetings and reviews.
• Lead LEUK's effort in the elicitation, definition, refinement and decomposition of customer requirements.
• Define, refine and maintain system architectures and interface definitions.
• Provide technical input into bids, proposals and change activities.
• Work across a demanding and complex area of the business, supporting in-service capability and future development.
• Collaborate with software, RF, hardware and test teams to ensure end‑to‑end system coherence.
• Undertake hands‑on technical activity where required, including configuring reference systems for test and demonstration.
• Support and deliver verification, validation and acceptance activities across the lifecycle.
• Ensure through‑life considerations such as safety, security, supportability and obsolescence are addressed in line with company processes.

Experience and attributes:

• Strong experience applying Systems Engineering across the full lifecycle.
• Experience acting as a technical authority or owning system architectures.
• Experience in eliciting, refining and decomposing customer requirements.
• Experience defining and evaluating technical solutions and proposals.
• A working understanding of software development and its integration within complex systems.
• Experience working closely with internal and external stakeholders, including customers.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• The confidence to make technical decisions in a complex, dynamic environment.
• Motivation, tenacity and a strong sense of technical ownership.

Desirable experience and skills:

• Knowledge or experience of HF communications systems.
• Some level of RF engineering understanding.
• Experience working on in‑service or operational defence systems.
• Experience with Systems Integration, Test and Demonstration activities.
• Domain experience in Telecommunications, RF, IP Networking or related areas.
• Experience working on largescale Systems Integration programmes, having managed issues associated with cost, schedule & quality implications.

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.

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.

Benefits:

• 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.