Principal Platform Engineer - Yeovil

Leonardo DRS; Yeovil; Hybrid; GBP 76,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company-funded benefits package

12 flexi-days

Pension with 15% employer contribution

Mental health support

Coursera & LinkedIn Learning access

Hybrid working options

Job summary

Leonardo UK seeks a Principal Platform Engineer (Technical Specialist Path) to lead secure platform design, integration, and delivery across on‑prem, hybrid, and cloud environments.

You will act as the technical authority in virtualization, mentor engineers, and collaborate with stakeholders to support defence and public‑sector missions.

Role requires BPSS baseline screening and Developed Vetting; hybrid working across Yeovil with flexible hours and site presence values.

Qualifications

• Extensive expertise across platform domains and secure solutions.
• Ability to balance hands-on engineering with technical leadership and mentorship.
• Knowledge of privileged access management concepts and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Act as technical authority on one platform engineering domain (e.g., virtualization).
• Lead secure platform design and implementation across on‑premise, hybrid, and cloud environments.
• Mentor junior and senior engineers and drive technical delivery.

Skills

Security expertise

Technical leadership

Mentorship

Networking knowledge

Scripting (PowerShell/Bash/Python)

Tools

AWS

Azure

VMware

Hyper‑V

Kubernetes

Docker

Ansible

Terraform

Active Directory

Windows

Linux

PCI/PKI/SIEM familiarity

Job description

Salary: £76,000 - 94,000 per year

Requirements:

• Extensive technical expertise across multiple platform domains, with a track record of delivering secure solutions.
• Ability to balance hands‑on engineering with technical leadership and mentorship.
• Problem‑solving mindset, able to innovate and recommend the best approach for complex challenges.
• Core experience with Windows and Linux operating systems.
• Experience with virtualisation platforms such as VMware and Hyper‑V.
• Knowledge of privileged access management concepts and implementation, including CyberArk or similar.
• Experience with secure credential storage, rotation, and access control models.
• Experience integrating PAM into enterprise platforms and services.
• Knowledge of networking concepts including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, and firewalls.
• Experience with automation and scripting using PowerShell, Bash, Python, Ansible, and Terraform.
• Knowledge of cyber security controls and accreditation requirements.
• Experience across the systems engineering lifecycle.
• Experience designing and implementing privileged access models across complex systems.
• Experience delivering within highly controlled or secure environments, such as air‑gapped or defence environments.
• Desirable: expertise with cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure and Infrastructure as Code.
• Desirable: experience integrating enterprise services such as Active Directory, PKI, monitoring, and SIEM.
• Desirable: hands‑on use of DevSecOps tools and CI/CD pipelines.
• Desirable: experience automating account onboarding and offboarding using APIs.
• Desirable: experience integrating with SIEM and SOC tooling for audit and monitoring.
• Desirable: experience with containerisation platforms such as Kubernetes and Docker.
• Desirable: experience working with enterprise identity and access management solutions.
• This role is subject to pre‑employment screening in line with the UK Governments Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).
• An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) will apply.
• This role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance prior to starting.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the technical authority on one of our platform engineering domains, such as virtualisation, providing specialist domain expertise to projects and programmes.
• Lead the design and implementation of secure platforms across on‑premise, hybrid, and cloud environments.
• Capture, analyse, and interpret complex customer requirements to drive system design and architecture.
• Develop high- and low‑level designs, ensuring alignment with secure‑by‑design principles.
• Take ownership of technical delivery within work packages, including planning, estimation, and progress reporting.
• Mentor, coach, and develop junior and senior engineers, raising technical capability across the community.
• Provide input to technology strategies, feasibility studies, and innovation projects.
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders, presenting technical solutions and justifying design decisions.

Technologies:

• AWS
• Active Directory
• Ansible
• Azure
• Bash
• CI/CD
• Cloud
• DevSecOps
• Docker
• Hyper‑V
• Support
• Kubernetes
• Linux
• PowerShell
• Python
• Security
• TCP/IP
• Terraform
• VMware
• Windows
• API
• DevOps

More:

We are Leonardo UK, and our Principal Platform Engineers (Technical Specialist Path) are hands‑on experts who shape the design, integration, and delivery of secure platforms that keep our customers missions running. We are seeking a Principal Platform Engineer to join our Cyber & Security Solutions Division team, focused on delivering, maintaining, and improving platform and systems engineering solutions that underpin critical defence, government and public sector services. The role can be based at one of our UK sites in Yeovil and may involve a blended hybrid working model with a mixture of working from home and on site. We offer a comprehensive, company‑funded benefits package that supports wellbeing, career development, and work‑life balance, including generous leave with up to 12 additional flexi‑days, an award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution, free access to mental health support and financial advice, online learning through Coursera and LinkedIn Learning, flexible benefits worth up to 500 annually, and flexible hours with hybrid working options. We are a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security, headquartered in Italy, employing over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 UK sites. We are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace.

Benefits:

• company‑funded benefits package that supports wellbeing, career development, and work‑life balance
• generous leave with up to 12 additional flexi‑days
• an award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution
• free access to mental health support and financial advice
• online learning through Coursera and LinkedIn Learning
• flexible benefits worth up to 500 annually
• flexible hours with hybrid working options

last updated 36 week of 2026