Leonardo
Principal Systems Engineer
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Principal Systems Engineer (Integration, Test, Evaluation & Acceptance) – GCAP EOIR Sensing Systems Leonardo UK – Edinburgh
About the Role
Salaried £53,500 to £68,000 (reflecting Leonardo UK’s grade-based salary framework). This is a leadership role responsible for defining and executing system integration and verification strategies for advanced electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) sensing systems within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). You’ll shape both physical and digital integration, working across national and international teams to deliver next-generation sensing capability.
Key Responsibilities
Integration & Test Leadership
- Define integration and verification approaches for late lifecycle delivery, ensuring readiness for hardware/software integration, qualification, and acceptance.
- Develop and maintain the GCAP EOIR ITEA master plan, including:
- Integration sequencing
- Verification logic
- Dependencies
- Risk/maturity criteria
- Establish progressive integration strategies from component to system-level verification through formal acceptance.
Test Architecture & Systems Engineering
- Lead ITEA-related strategy and systems artefacts, including:
- Requirement specification and alignment
- Testability design into product architecture
- Define verification architectures across:
- Physical integration environments
- Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setups
- Synthetic/digital test environments
- Lab and field test configurations
- Ensure interface alignment between requirements, performance budgets, and verification methods.
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Digital & Synthetic Strategies
- Lead EOIR strategy for digital/synthetic integration environments, including:
- Model-based verification (for early risk reduction, accelerated integration)
- Digital thread adoption across requirements, architecture, interfaces, models, and artefacts.
Stakeholder Coordination
- Collaborate with GCAP Test & Integration community to align facilities, tooling, and processes.
- Coordinate cross-disciplinary integration (EOIR subsystems, software, electronics, optics, sensor processing, etc.).
- Support customer reviews (design, verification, qualification, acceptance).
Risk & Programme Delivery
- Identify integration/verification risks and develop mitigation plans.
- Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and cost/schedule support for ITEA activities.
Essential Requirements
- Proven leadership in systems integration and test activities for complex engineered products (e.g., aerospace/defence/sensing).
- Hands-on experience in late lifecycle delivery (post-CDR up to delivery/acceptance).
- Strong systems engineering expertise, covering:
- Requirements
- Architecture/interfaces
- Verification/validations
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Desirable
Experience/enjoinder in:
- Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
- Digital twins/HIL/SIL/synthetic environments
- EOIR/sensor fusion systems
- Facility/equipment test requirements
Security Clearance
- BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) mandatory.
- Additional NSV vetting may apply (e.g., SC or DV level security check).
- Further details: Security Vetting
Benefits & Culture
Leonardo prioritises your wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance:
- Generous leave: Standard UK holiday + 12 flexi-days annually.
- Pension scheme: Award-winning, with up to 15% employer contribution.
- Health & diversity support:
- Free mental-health/funding advice
- Employee networks (Wellbeing, Pride, Armed Forces, etc.)
- Learning opportunities: Access to 4,000+ courses (Coursera/LinkedIn).
- Hybrid flexibility: On-site/remote options. Conscious of part-time potential.
Invest in innovation, drive and defend capability—the application begins now. Location: Edinburgh – Permanent role Building a diverse, inclusive workplace: access support at any stage.
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