Laboratory Steward

Job Description:

Salary: £37,318 - £53,550

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

Are you a rigorous safety leader with a sharp eye for engineering asset management?

Leonardo’s Radar and Advanced Targeting Systems (RATS) line of business is seeking a highly organised and proactive Laboratory Steward to take full operational ownership of our three onsite, advanced engineering laboratories. As a Laboratory Steward, you will hold delegated authority to enforce Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) compliance across our facility. In addition to this, you will act as our resident Test Equipment Officer managing a high-value engineering asset inventory via our internal asset management system, coordinating calibration pipelines with our preferred service provider, and leading safety inductions to safeguard our people, products, and programs.

Key responsibilities;

• HSE: Verify risk assessments before work begins and maintain safety records for lab-specific hazards. Conduct monthly inspections, maintain facility layouts, and lead all HSE/QA audits. Own and close out audit findings and NCRs using documented root cause analysis. Ensure all laboratory HSE internal procedures and regulatory requirements are adhered to, actively managed, and consistently upheld across all activities.
• Access Control & Inductions: Verify training completion and manager approval prior to granting laboratory access. Conduct and record mandatory safety inductions before permitting any unescorted lab access.
• Infrastructure: Manage space layout changes, coordinate building repairs via the facilities helpdesk, and track Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) compliance.
• Workflows & Resolution: Manage calibration schedules and outages to minimise disruption; raise non-conformance actions for out-of-tolerance equipment.
• General Purpose Test Equipment: Take ownership of all laboratory test equipment, ensuring full compliance with internal calibration controls, and track all equipment movements into and out of the laboratory. Manage calibration schedules and planned outages for general purpose test equipment to minimise disruption and raise non conformance actions for any out of tolerance equipment. Maintain a rolling five year capital expenditure plan for general purpose test equipment, aligned with laboratory and project needs and requirements.

What you’ll bring

• Education: Minimum HNC/HND or equivalent in an Electrical, Electronic, or Mechanical engineering discipline.
• HSE & Risk: IOSH Managing Safely qualification (or achieved upon appointment). Strong understanding of laboratory hazards (COSHH, ESD, electrical safety, lifting regulations).
• Systems: Experience navigating industrial asset databases (ideally SAP PM / SEM or equivalent tracking software).
• Financial Literacy: Understanding of capital expenditure (CapEx) procurement workflows and rolling asset planning.
• Leadership: Confidence to step up as an operational authority figure, halt unsafe practices, host audits, and deliver technical safety inductions.

Training & Support: We do not expect you to know everything from day one. To ensure a successful transition, mandatory on-the-job mentoring will be provided. Any remaining training gaps will be fully supported and funded by the company.

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:

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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