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# Principal Systems Engineer

- **Company:** Leonardo
- **Location:** Luton, UK
- **Salary:** £85,709.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Data Analysis, Systems Engineering, Machine Learning, Radio-Frequency Identification, Sensor Fusion, Verification and Validation (Software), Subsystems, Systems Architecture, DOORS (Software), Real Time Data
- **Published:** August 14, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.adzuna.co.uk/jobs/details/5838739509

## About the Role

* A science-based Honours degree or equivalent experience
 * Experience or a desire to gain electronic warfare domain knowledge
 * Knowledge of the systems engineering lifecycle, particularly in the following areas:
 + Problem definition
 + Requirements engineering, including the use of IBM DOORS
 + Systems Architecture
 + Synthetic Environments
 + Systems Modelling and Analysis
 + Integration
 + Verification and Validation
 + Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

It would be desirable if you had experience from some of the following:

 * Experience of working with related specialisms such as safety, security, airworthiness or reliability
 * Domain-specialist knowledge such as:
 + Digital signal processing
 + RF systems
 + Multi-sensor data fusion and tracking
 + Real time data simulation/generation
 + Military Electronic systems
 + Data analysis using AI or Machine Learning
 + Operational Experience in Electronic Intelligence or Electronic Warfare

## Description

Are you looking to advance your career and work on technology that will shape the future of defence? Does working on developing systems for current and future military aircraft sound like a challenge that would be of interest? If you have skills in systems engineering and five years UK residency, we are looking for engineers to join us at Leonardo in Luton in a predominantly office and laboratory-based role.

What you'll do as a Systems Engineer

 * Development of Requirements and Test Plans
 * Control of Parts and Documentation, including change management
 * Collaboration with multi-functional teams on system and sub-system development
 * Work with suppliers, integrators, and users across the UK

Our Systems Engineers work in multidisciplinary teams spanning a range of activities pulling together the necessary engineering and technology strands into a high-performance system, bridging the gap between the theoretically possible and the practically implementable.

Examples of Work

 * Early concept studies investigating the application of new technology on future platforms
 * Engaging with stakeholders, defining requirements for a new system
 * Conducting cost and functional performance trade-offs and evaluation of proposed solutions
 * Enhancing capabilities and performance of in-service systems
 * Designing and integrating new functionality into an existing system
 * Modelling a system to understand observed simulated performance
 * Development of capability within limitations and constraints of the target hardware
 * Root-cause analysis of anomalies observed during integration or evaluation activities
 * Designing and conducting testing and trials to prove equipment function and performance
 * Opportunities to lead technical activities and initiatives
 * Mentoring and coaching other engineers
 * Creating and delivering reports, presentations and proposals to customers and industry partners
 * Supporting knowledge sharing and exploitation of good practice


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