Lead Systems Engineer

Job Description:

Salary: £59,500 to £75,000

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.

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 will contribute to the Typhoon radar programme which includes the largest single programme being delivered from the Edinburgh site. Next generation ESCAN radars are now in full scale production and being delivered to our customer on the front-line, where we strive to provide key functionality and capability to meet the customer operational requirements

We are recruiting for a Lead Systems Engineer to lead the operational evaluation for the Typhoon ECRS Mk0 (ESCAN) radar against the operational Fitness for Purpose (FFP) criteria.

FFP is a non-contractual framework that has been agreed between Euroradar and our purchaser, BAESYSTEMS, to aid the prioritisation of System Problem Reports (SysPRs) with the aim of reaching an acceptable level of product maturity against agreed operationally relevant criteria.

The Lead Systems Engineer will lead a team responsible for:

• Product gap analysis against operationally relevant scenarios
• Problem Report identification and sentencing
• Problem Report prioritisation
• Identifying when maturity goals are met.
• Supporting compliance statements against the Specification
• Co-ordinate the agile ‘on-train’ maturity assessment activities through the Product Manager and technical leadership team, which will be delivered by those SMEs.
• Planning and presentation of maturity point reviews with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Identifying clear gaps in product maturity and support the sentencing of SySPRs

As Lead Systems Engineer, you will work within the Typhoon delivery sector, leading and co-ordinating the Leonardo UK Systems Engineering activity for evaluating the Mk0 radar product maturity for the Entry-Into-Service product.

There are two software development releases planned to deliver an operationally capable radar that meets the specification. The candidate will need to be highly motivated and able to define and lead activities for producing maturity metrics and analysis tools to present product maturity to the Chief Engineer and Technical Director to ensure that we focus on the correct changes to meet FFP and compliance objectives. This role presents an opportunity to be at the heart of the success of the Typhoon ECRS Mk0 Radar System, achieving customer satisfaction with this product. This role is pivotal to the reputation and the future business winning success for Leonardo.

In the role you will report to the Leonardo UK Chief Systems Engineer.

Key Skills:

• Experience of Radar Systems Design and/or Qualification at a Lead Engineer level.
• Familiarity with the principles of Pulsed Doppler radar waveform design and signal processing implementation.
• Familiarity with the principles of Radar tracking and trade-offs against supporting detection schemes.
• Experience of certification to recognised standards including experience in Integration, Test, Evaluation and Acceptance (ITEA).
• Experience of data analysis from radar flight trials.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to obtain SC security clearance and work within UKEO and US ITAR TAA restrictions.
• Experience of working with a variety of internal and external stakeholders of varying seniorities, with a demonstrable ability to make, and help teams make, timely decisions.

What else would help:

• A 2:1 or higher in a relevant engineering or science-based honours degree
• Chartered Engineer status is desirable.
• Experience of the application of the regulatory environment for airborne products, e.g. MAA, EASA.
• Experience of delivering training and awareness courses.
• Experience with any of the following tools: Matlab, Simulink, Siemens Teamcenter, IBM DOORS.

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:

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.

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