Systems Engineers - Trials

Job Description

Leonardo is seeking to recruit systems engineers to join its Electronics UK business. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering leading edge solutions to challenging projects.

Advanced targeting covers all of the Electro-Optic (EO) and Infrared (IR) projects being developed in Edinburgh, spanning lasers, imaging systems, detection and tracking, control systems, and navigation. The whole of the engineering lifecycle is covered, from early concept systems, to products reaching their end of service. Systems engineers are involved in every part of the lifecycle, and play a crucial role, ensuring the system as a whole performs above expectations.

The focus of this systems engineering role is to support EO and IR projects within the Advanced Targeting business sector, applying problem solving techniques and fundamental EO/IR engineering and physics-based knowledge, to build advanced products for the military. We are looking for someone passionate about our products, with a systems-thinking approach and experience of EO/IR systems and technologies. You will thrive in dynamic environments with the support of a diverse immediate and wider team.

You will take an active role in the planning, coordination, and execution of trials activities to evaluate EO/IR system performance in real‑world conditions. This will involve producing test plans, configuring instrumentation, executing trial activities, and analysing trial data to assess system behaviour against expectations. You will be a key interface between engineering teams, customers, and trials organisations, ensuring that all trial outputs feed directly into system design maturity and verification evidence.

Given the nature of the work at this level we can offer custom working, however some on‑site working is expected.

• Contribute to the requirement capture and management, definition, development, modelling, manufacture, test and verification of advanced EO/IR technologies and systems
• Mentor early‑career engineers in your immediate team, or across the business
• Adopt, adhere to, and contribute to the improvement of defined engineering processes governing systems engineering across the full lifecycle
• Working with other functions within Integrated Project Teams and across the sector in the definition and conduction of trials with EO/IR equipment
• Collaborate with your peers in similar roles across the UK to promote a culture of continual learning and improvement, acting as a change agent for systems engineering

People with experience supporting the application of systems engineering applied to products in an EO/IR environment. You should have a degree level qualification (or equivalent) in systems engineering, physics, or a related technical discipline.

Due to the nature of the tasks involved, you must be able to satisfy the necessary security clearance for the role and meet a minimum of 5 years permanent residency in the UK.

We are looking for the following technical skills, in order of decreasing priority:

• Strong numerical, analytic and problem‑solving skills supporting “systems thinking”
• Experience of systems engineering methods, tools and processes supporting trials conduction
• Relevant experience with EO/IR systems and technologies
• Familiarity with the engineering lifecycle

In addition, the following attributes would be highly desirable:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, proven ability to build trust and respect at different levels
• Tenacity and determination, with a desire to deliver outputs and results
• Experience in collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders

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:

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive,…