Project Engineering Lead

Leonardo; Newcastle; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to Recharge

Pension scheme

Mental health support

Online courses (Coursera/LinkedIn)

Referral programme

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Leonardo UK is recruiting for Project Engineering Leads across a range of critical defence and security projects in the UK. You will manage system issues, lead investigations and redesigns, and deliver realistic project plans while aligning with Lifecycle Management processes.

Successful candidates will guide multidisciplinary teams, communicate effectively with managers and customers, and operate within a graded, banded salary framework in the Edinburgh/Newcastle region.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of the engineering lifecycle.
• Experience with a system change management process.
• Ability to manage multiple activities with dependencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills across teams and customers.

Responsibilities

• Manage and assess reported system-level issues from lab testing and flight trials.
• Lead technical investigations and redesign activities per project priorities.
• Develop practical plans to deliver solutions and communicate to Engineering Management.
• Ensure Lifecycle Management processes are followed and resources are aligned.
• Collaborate with Engineering Management and Chief Engineers to enable fast decisions.
• Maintain clear communications across project teams and management.
• Lead and motivate a multidisciplinary engineering team.

Skills

Engineering lifecycle

System change management

Multidisciplinary teams

Requirements DOORS

Tools

DOORS

Job description

Job Description:

Salary:

£53,500 - £68,000

£59,500 - £75,000

Where this vacancy is being recruited across more than one grade, the successful candidate will be appointed to a specific assessed grade, and the applicable salary range will be that associated with the grade of appointment.

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.

Your Impact

At Leonardo, we solve real-world engineering challenges, designing and developing mission-critical solutions that power some of the world’s most advanced defence and security systems.

Your work could contribute to:

• Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) – Future Generation Radar & Electro-Optical Targeting products
• Laser Direct Energy Weapons Systems like Dragonfire
• Radar systems for fighter jets like the Typhoon and SAAB Gripen
• Infra-Red Counter Measures (IRCM) systems
• Laser target designators and ranging systems
• Surveillance AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars

We are recruiting for a range of Project Engineering Leads (PEL). Based on your skills and experience, we’ll match you to the most impactful projects where you can thrive and grow.

What You’ll do

• Manage and assess reported system-level issues captured during lab testing, integration and flight trials.
• Lead technical investigations and re-design activities in line with project priorities.
• Produce effective, efficient and realistic plans to deliver the solution and communicate these to Engineering Management to ensure forward load is correct and resources are available.
• Ensure effective implementation of the company’s Lifecycle Management process and project engineering processes are followed.
• Work closely with the Engineering Management team and Chief Engineers to make and enact decisions quickly within the project.
• Establish and maintain good lines of communication across the project, engineering disciplines and engineering management.
• Lead and motivate a multi-discipline engineering team.
• Ensure your team is equipped and supported to deliver against their commitments.

What You’ll bring

• Strong knowledge and practical experience of working across different stages of the engineering lifecycle.
• The ability to quickly understand and break down complex problems both on your own or as part of a team.
• Experience of following a system change management process.
• The ability to keep track and mange a diverse set of activities with many interactions and dependencies.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build effective relationships with engineers, managers, subject matter experts and customers.
• Experience of managing, motivating and supporting multidisciplinary teams.
• Good practical experience of using requirements management tools such as DOORS.

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 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 - Edinburgh

Additional Locations:

GB - Newcastle

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Onsite