Systems Engineer - All Levels

Job Description:

Salary Range:

Systems Engineer £38,000 -£48,000

Senior Systems Engineer £44,500 - £56,000

Principal Systems Engineer £53,500 - £68,000

Lead Systems Engineer £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:

• Radar systems for fighter jets like the Typhoon and SAAB Gripen
• GCAP – Future Generation Radar & Electro-Optical Targeting products
• 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 Systems Engineering roles from diverse backgrounds and expertise. Based on your skills and experience, we’ll match you to the most impactful projects where you can thrive and grow. This could include:

• Contributing to early-stage concept studies, investigating the impact of new technology on future platforms.
• Engage with stakeholders to translate operational needs into engineering solutions.
  Develop and integrate system functionality, considering hardware limitations and real-world constraints.
• Model, simulate, and analyse system performance to drive design decisions.
• Troubleshoot and refine existing systems, identifying improvements through real-world testing.

What you’ll bring

Problem Definition & Systems Thinking

• Break down complex engineering problems into structured, solvable components.
• Define clear system-level requirements based on stakeholder needs.

Systems Architecture & Modelling

• Design and develop high-performance system architectures using model-based systems engineering (MBSE).
• Use Simulink, MATLAB, or synthetic environments to simulate and refine system behaviour.

Data Processing & Analysis

• Apply signal processing, image processing, and object classification techniques to extract actionable insights.
• Develop multi-sensor data fusion and tracking capabilities for real-time applications.

Integration, Testing & Validation

• Investigate system anomalies using real trial data, ensuring performance meets specifications.
• Design and execute verification & validation (V&V) strategies across the entire system lifecycle.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Work alongside multidisciplinary teams to develop and prototype cutting-edge defence solutions.
• Depending on experience, lead technical initiatives, mentor junior engineers, and influence engineering roadmaps.

What else would help:

• Proven experience leading systems engineering projects from design to implementation.
• Be passionate about systems
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage competing priorities effectively.
• A science-based Honours degree or equivalent industry experience.

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.

Be part of something bigger - apply now

#LI-RD1