Senior Software Engineer
Quick Summary
Develop, test, and maintain C++ software for the next generation combat aircraft. Collaborate within a cross-site team of software engineers, while working closely alongside systems, firmware,
Experience working within an agile team and fami
Salary Range:
Engineer £38000 - £50000
Senior Engineer £45000 - £60000
Principal Engineer £54000 - £70000
Where this vacancy is being recruited across more than one grade, the successful candidate will be appointed to a specific assessed grade, and the applicable salary range will be that associated with the grade of appointment.
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.
The battlespace in which air forces will operate in the future continues to evolve. To counter the threats of the future, industry is creating a next generation air combat system which is agile, flexible, connected, and affordable.
That next generation is Tempest - the RAF's newest combat aircraft, coming into service from 2035 to replace the existing Eurofighter Typhoon.
Team Tempest is an industry partnership between several major UK companies. Leonardo, as a global leader in defence electronics, is a key partner, responsible for large parts of the aircraft avionics suite including sensors and non-kinetic effectors. (See https://www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/team-tempest/ for more details).
Based across our Edinburgh & Newcastle sites, we have many opportunities for software engineers with all levels of experience to join our enthusiastic and highly motivated engineering team. This is an incredible opportunity to get involved at the beginning of a cutting-edge product and secure the UK's position as a global leader in combat air.
Responsibilities
~1 min read- →Develop, test, and maintain C++ software for the next generation combat aircraft.
- →Collaborate within a cross-site team of software engineers, while working closely alongside systems, firmware, and hardware engineering
- →Deliver new features and enhancements in an agile development environment
- →Write software requirements and create effective software designs and solutions. Investigate, debug, and resolve software issues
- →Contribute to software architecture and technical decision-making
- →Take ownership of tasks from planning through to delivery
- →Conduct peer reviews and uphold high standards of software quality
- →Share knowledge and contribute to continuous team improvement
To succeed in this role, we really need you to have the following:
- Experience working within an agile team and familiarity with agile software development
- C++ programming skills, ideally in a highly regulated environment.
- The ability to collaborate and work with others across sites, and with co-located team members
If you have the above skills, the following will really help you stand out:
- Experience throughout the full software lifecycle including requirements definition, design, implementation, hardware integration and test
- Familiarity with tooling such as Git (or equivalent) and CMake
- Experience working on complex products in an embedded environment
- Experience using static analysis and code coverage tooling
- Knowledge of best practises for incremental development
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://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting
What We Offer
~2 min readAt 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.
Location & Eligibility
About this job
- Pay per year
- £38,000–£50,000 a year
- Posted
- Today
Listing Details
- Posted
- November 6, 2026
- First seen
- November 6, 2026
- Last seen
- November 6, 2026
Posting Health
- Days active
- 0
- Repost count
- 0
- Trust Level
- 62%
- Scored at
- November 6, 2026
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