Job Description: Are you an experienced Systems Engineer who loves contributing to the international Defence Industry and making impactful change? We are recruiting for a Lead Systems Engineer to drive LEUK technical delivery of a complex, in‑service Communications Systems, working on real engineering problems and shaping solutions that sit at the heart of our operational capability. This vacancy will be based at our Basildon site.
Your Impact
As the Lead Systems Engineer, you will act as the project team’s Design Authority for the system, providing leadership across Systems Engineering activities and acting as the primary technical interface with stakeholders. You will support the definition, refinement and delivery of technical solutions, ensuring the system continues to meet operational needs throughout its lifecycle.
Responsibilities
- Ensure customer requirements are fully understood, refined, decomposed and traced into system solutions.
- Define, maintain and control the system architecture.
- Provide robust technical proposals and design decisions aligned with customer expectations.
- Manage integration across software, RF and hardware elements.
- Oversee verification and validation activities to demonstrate compliance with operational needs.
Day-to-Day Duties
- Act as IPT’s Design Authority for the HF communications system, owning key technical decisions.
- Serve as the technical point of contact for the customer, leading and contributing to frequent technical meetings and reviews.
- Lead LEUK’s effort in elicitation, definition, refinement and decomposition of customer requirements.
- Define, refine and maintain system architectures and interface definitions.
- Provide technical input into bids, proposals and change activities.
- Collaborate with software, RF, hardware and test teams to ensure end‑to‑end system coherence.
- Undertake hands‑on technical activity, including configuring reference systems for test and demonstration.
- Support and deliver verification, validation and acceptance activities across the lifecycle.
- Ensure through‑life considerations such as safety, security, supportability and obsolescence are addressed.
Qualifications
- Proven experience as a Lead Systems Engineer or equivalent role.
- Strong experience applying Systems Engineering across the full lifecycle.
- Experience acting as a technical authority or owning system architectures.
- Experience in eliciting, refininganddecomposing customer requirements.
- Experience defining and evaluating technical solutions and proposals.
- Working understanding of software development and its integration within complex systems.
- Experience working closely with internal and external stakeholders, including customers.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
- Confidence to make technical decisions in a complex, dynamic environment.
- Motivation, tenacity and a strong sense of technical ownership.
Desirable Skills
- Knowledge or experience of HF communications systems.
- Some level of RF engineering understanding.
- Experience on in‑service or operational defence systems.
- Experience with Systems Integration, Test and Demonstration activities.
- Domain experience in Telecommunications, RF, IP Networking or related areas.
- Experience on large‑scale Systems Integration programmes, managing cost, schedule and quality implications.
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, including meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).
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.
Benefits
- Generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
- Employer‑matched pension scheme with up to 15% contribution.
- Free access to mental health support, financial advice and employee‑led inclusion networks.
- Bonus scheme for employees at management level and below.
- Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
- Financial reward through the referral programme.
- Annual flexible benefits portfolio up to £500 covering private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech, lifestyle discounts and gym memberships.
- Flexible working arrangements with hybrid options.
Contract Type: PermanentPrimary Location: Basildon, GBHybrid Working: Hybrid
We are committed to building an inclusive, accessible and welcoming workplace. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, please let us know.
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