Space Optical Comms Systems Engineer

Overview

Job Description:

Are you a Systems Engineer who loves contributing to the UKs Defence Industry and making impactful change? Leonardo has a fantastic opportunity for an Engineer to work on the modelling of airborne Free Space Optical Communication systems. You will be working on real Engineering problems, designing and developing solutions that sit at the heart of our products.

Our Systems Engineers span across range of activities that help pull together all the necessary engineering and technology strands into a high-performance system. As a Systems Engineer, you will bridge the gap between the theoretically possible and the practically implementable. The successful candidate will work with sub-contractors and industry partners to construct a model, devise and run experiments and interpret the results.

• Build an optical laboratory for investigating the performance of optical communication systems
• Build and maintain MATLAB models of optical based airborne communication systems
• Investigate new approaches to achieve the customer’s requirements
• Guide the development of free-space optical communication systems
• Discuss the experiments and results internally and with external stakeholders including customers, external partners and subcontractors
• Work cooperatively with subcontractors and international partners to achieve a common solution
• Assembling, integrating and testing subsystems
• Provide input to a proposal to create an internationally recognised standard for Optical Communications

Successful candidates will have a strong technical background in an engineering, physics or maths-based subject. System-wide understanding of optical communication systems, with an ability to assess the performance of all the subsystems that comprise an optical communication system is also essential, including:

• Lasers
• Modulators
• Detectors
• Optical Amplifiers
• Wavelength filters
• Polarisation controllers
• Experience working in an optical laboratory, ideally with experience in aligning free-space setups and coupling into optical fibres
• Experience with model development in a high-level programming language
• The ability to perform rigorous analysis independently and confidently present the results internally and externally

It would be nice if you had knowledge/experience of

• MATLAB
• Software engineering techniques, such as test development and version control (git)
• Laboratory automation
• Digital Modulation, Channel coding, and other aspects of the physical layer of a communication system
• Assessing the performance of optical communication systems considering the SNR, BER and bandwidth limitations
• Development of free-space optical communication systems for deployment in field environments
• Resiliency strategies and techniques in free-space optical communications
• Working as a member of a large team in developing complex engineered systems
• Understanding of the optomechanical considerations for field deployment of optical systems

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.

Successful candidates will be UK nationals. 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 https //

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…