Software Engineer - Mission Management Systems

Job Description

Salary: £55k to £65k

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.

At Leonardo in Yeovil we are seeking an experienced Software Engineer
- Mission Management Systems to drive the end‑to‑end development of high‑integrity aircraft software during a critical technical pivot. This role focuses on the evolution of our Tactical Mission Management Systems—maintaining the reliability of our legacy manned platforms while architecting the software for our emerging uncrewed and autonomous capabilities.

Working within our Helicopter division, you will be taking ownership of complex mission system software components, ensuring legacy systems remain robust, while simultaneously leveraging open architectures to ensure our future uncrewed systems are modular, portable, and ready for the next generation of autonomous missions.

• Dual‑Platform Architecture: Generate robust, scalable software models and detailed component designs using UML for both legacy manned and new uncrewed mission computers.
• Open Architecture Integration: Champion the use of Modular Open Systems Approaches (e.g.,
  FACE/MOSA
  ) to ensure future software portability across autonomous fleets.
• High‑Integrity Implementation: Develop deterministic, mission‑critical real‑time software components (primarily in Ada
  95/C/C++), balancing the need for rigorous memory management with the processing demands of autonomous systems.
• Requirements & Traceability: Capture, analyse, and manage complex system requirements, ensuring traceability using DOORS across both manned and unmanned capability drops.
• Verification & Integration: Construct test harnesses, execute unit testing, and conduct hardware‑in‑the‑loop integration to prove both traditional HMI functionality and complex autonomous behaviours.
• Navigating Certification: Produce and maintain standard engineering documentation. You will ensure legacy systems meet DO‑178C requirements while actively helping the team navigate the emerging regulatory and certification hurdles associated with uncrewed systems.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership: Act as a technical authority during discussions with customers, suppliers, and multi‑disciplinary teams to ensure autonomous and legacy software delivers the required operational capability within agreed budgets.

• Experience: Broad experience in the full software development lifecycle for real‑time, high‑integrity embedded systems.
• Core Technical Stack: Strong proficiency in Ada
  95, C, or C++. Extensive experience with UML modelling and requirements management via DOORS
  .
• Operating Environments: Deep understanding of Real‑Time Operating Systems (RTOS), multi‑tasking environments, and command‑based OS (Linux, UNIX).
• Regulatory Mindset: Practical experience navigating traditional safety standards (like DO‑178C), coupled with a strong appetite for tackling the unique integration and certification challenges of autonomous systems.
• Mindset: A proactive architect who thrives in a transitional environment, capable of respecting the rigor of manned aviation while innovating for the uncrewed future.

• Advanced Architecture: Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA), Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE), and Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE / SysML).
• Autonomy & Future Tech: Exposure to autonomous flight rules, robotics/automation technologies, AI/Machine Learning, or modern languages (Rust, C#, Java) as they apply to future uncrewed mission systems.
• Tactical Domain: Military Tactical Communication, Sensor, and Weapon systems integration for both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
• Avionics & Hardware: Integration with Aircraft Electrical Systems and networking protocols (IP/Ethernet, Mil‑Std 1553, ARINC
  429).

This role…