Lead Software Engineer

Job Description:

Salary Range: £65,000 - £80,000

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.

Here at Leonardo, we are seeking experienced Lead Software Engineers to take on pivotal Technical Authority roles within our Integrated Sensors & Protection line of business, working on a range of defence projects.

This role combines technical leadership with strategic influence, offering significant autonomy and responsibility for critical software components or entire projects.

Direct industry experience is not required; we are happy to explore all backgrounds and help develop all our software engineers.

We want to develop a new generation of features and capabilities using innovative software solutions and we need you to create them. You will be a key part in a community of world-class software engineers who will continuously improve, collaborate and innovate with other engineers to create market-leading products within the defence industry.

• Understanding and knowledge of one or more of the following:
• Several years of C++ software engineering experience in aerospace, defence, or other mission/safety-critical domains.
• Development of new applications to meet user expectations and within formal constraints.
• Familiarity with the tools and approaches to embedded development.
• Experience with developing Windows & Linux applications.
• Experience of using Iterative development life cycles (for example tailored Agile.)
• Experience using tools associated with Iterative development life cycles (Jira / Dev Ops.)
• Familiarity with development to design and coding standards.
• Abilityto set technical direction, defining software architecture and design strategies aligned with platform and system goals.
• Experience ensuring compliance standards and adherence to internal governance processes.
• Strong skills in technical risk identification and mitigation across software components.
• Hands‑on delivery with lifecycle experience from requirements through to certification.
• A background in technical leadership, including architectural design, risk mitigation, or technical governance.
• Demonstrated ability tomentor and coach engineers, uplifting capability and promoting software engineering excellence.
• Familiarity with legacy systems, export controls, interoperability, and long‑term product evolution.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines, working closely with systems, hardware, and firmware teams to ensure coherent integration.
• Commitment to championing design integrity,acting as the accountable technical lead during audits and reviews.

This is not an exhaustive list, 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.

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, 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…