Research Scientist

hackajob is collaborating with Leonardo to connect them with exceptional tech professionals for this role.

Job Description

Note: You must have five years UK residency as a minimum to apply.

We are looking for talented Scientists and Engineers with experience in research and collaboration to join us at Leonardo in Luton or Bristol.

We are not expecting you to have domain knowledge of electronic warfare systems or significant engineering experience. We are seeking scientists and engineers eager to build their technical knowledge through training, teamwork, and mentoring.

Leonardo is a global leader in defence electronics, delivering mission-critical systems for situational awareness, electronic warfare, and surveillance across land, sea, and air.

The Electronic Warfare and Major Air Programmes divisions are among the world's top developers of electronic surveillance and countermeasure systems and are key members of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), developing Tempest, the next-generation fighter aircraft replacing the RAF’s Typhoon.

Our Systems Engineers Cover a Wide Variety Of Roles

1. Applied research: Early research exploring new technologies or concepts
2. High-level design: Understanding the impact of design decisions on performance
3. Low-level design: Detailed design, prototyping, and optimization within their technical domain

As a Systems Engineer, you will bridge the gap between theoretical possibilities and practical implementation, transforming early concepts into working solutions. No specific engineering background is required; many of our System Engineers come from science backgrounds, including PhDs/EngDs across STEM fields.

We support your technical and professional development, providing challenging work in a fast-paced but relaxed environment. We value expertise, autonomy, and decision-making confidence, trusting our engineers to manage their work and careers.

We are recruiting for various roles suited to different backgrounds and skills. Based on your skills and knowledge, we will assess the best fit and discuss options.

Due to the nature of our work, you must be capable of achieving a minimum of SC security clearance and have access to caveated information such as UK eyes only. Please refer to the UK National Security Vetting site for details.

Some roles may require office-based work at Luton or Bristol.

Typical Work You Might Be Involved In

• Contributing to or leading early concept studies on new algorithms for threat detection
• Supporting data fusion development across multiple sensor types
• Developing simulators for testing and validation of processing solutions

What We Can Offer You

• Flexible working for work-life balance
• Ongoing personal development with access to online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning
• 25 days holiday plus eight bank holidays
• Generous pension scheme
• Flexible benefits tailored to individual needs
• Employee discounts with retailers and service providers
• Family-friendly policies
• Support for Reserve Forces, including additional time off

What You Will Get

• Opportunity to contribute to advanced technology development for UK platforms
• Experience in agile systems engineering
• Expertise in electronic warfare, with access to leading domain specialists
• Support for continuous professional development through training and mentoring
• Collaborative team environment
• Connections with a large UK-based team across multiple sites

What We Are Looking For

You will have a PhD, EngD, or relevant research experience in a STEM subject. We are also interested if you have:

• Experience collaborating within research groups or externally
• A drive for continuous improvement of skills and knowledge
• A methodical approach to solving complex problems
• Experience in planning, leading, and overseeing research or development tasks
• An understanding of the Systems Engineering process
• Some programming experience, especially with Matlab and Simulink, is advantageous

Primary Location: GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type: Hybrid Working