Software Specialising Systems Engineers (DV Cleared)

Leonardo; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexi-days

Pension scheme (15% employer contrib)

Mental health support

Online courses (Coursera/LinkedIn)

Hybrid working

Refer a friend bonus

Private healthcare

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a Systems Engineer to bridge systems engineering and software development for defence programmes. The role supports software-heavy systems and requires DV clearance, with on-site work in Luton and hybrid options.

You will engage stakeholders to define requirements, perform trade-offs, and lead technical activities while mentoring other engineers. A comprehensive benefits package accompanies the role.

Qualifications

• Science, maths or engineering degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience delivering software-heavy systems in regulated environments.
• Experience with DevOps to deliver products.
• Experience with MBSE methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Engaging with stakeholders defining requirements for new systems.
• Conducting cost and functional trade-offs and evaluation of proposed solutions.
• Enhancing capabilities and performance of in-service systems.
• Designing and integrating new functionality into existing systems.
• Designing and conducting testing and trials to prove equipment function.
• Root-cause analysis of anomalies during integration or evaluation.
• Leading technical activities and initiatives.
• Mentoring and coaching other engineers.
• Creating and delivering reports, presentations and proposals to customers.
• Supporting knowledge sharing and exploitation of good practice.

Skills

Systems engineering

DevOps experience

MBSE

DV clearance

Education

Science/Engineering degree

Job description

Job Description

Your impact

Have you delivered software products as a Systems Engineer? If so, this may be the role for you!

We are seeking dedicated Systems Engineers, holding or willing to gain DV Clearance, who will bridge the gap between systems engineering and software development.

Our Software Products Support Deployed And In-development Systems, Including

• Mission programming and analysis tools for self-protection systems used by RAF aircraft and export customers, including Typhoon and Apache.
• Development of next-generation tools providing capability to the Tempest Aircraft being developed under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) to replace Typhoon.

What You’ll Do As a Systems Engineer

• Engaging with stakeholders defining requirements for new systems
• Conducting cost and functional performance trade-offs and evaluation of proposed solutions
• Enhancing capabilities and performance of in-service systems
• Designing and integrating new functionality into existing systems
• Designing and conducting testing and trials to prove equipment function and performance
• Root-cause analysis of anomalies observed during integration or evaluation activities
• Leading technical activities and initiatives
• Mentoring and coaching other engineers
• Creating and delivering reports, presentations and proposals to customers and industry partners
• Supporting knowledge sharing and exploitation of good practice

What You'll Bring

• A science, maths, or engineering-based degree, or equivalent experience
• Proven experience in delivering software-heavy systems, ideally to customers in regulated industries (e.g. military, rail, safety-critical)
• Experience in working with software teams using DevOps to deliver products
• Experience in MBSE methodologies

Knowledge of the systems engineering lifecycle, particularly in the following areas:

• Problem definition
• Systems and Software Architecture
• Software Development and Qualification
• Integration, Verification and Validation

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 includes 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

Salary Range

• Principal Engineer £55k - £70k

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.

This work will require on-site working at our facility in Luton.

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 - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Hybrid