Chief Engineer

Leonardo’s Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) Distributed Electro Optics System (DEOS) programme represents one of the most significant next‑generation defence avionics developments in Europe. This is a rare career‑defining opportunity to step into a pivotal national technical leadership role, reporting to the GCAP DEOS Chief Engineer and International System Design Authority (SDA), at the heart of a world‑class engineering organisation with decades of airborne EO systems expertise.

As the National Chief Engineer and Design Authority, you will provide overall technical leadership across the GCAP DEOS Sensor Head, within Leonardo Electronics UK. You will be accountable for system-level coherence, architecture integrity, and long-term technical strategy within a highly complex multi-national programme. Your decisions will directly influence future capability, export potential, and the UK’s position within GCAP. The National Chief Engineer and Design Authority is a critical role within the Chief Engineering team, supporting international decision making while representing and safeguarding UK Freedom of Action and Freedom of Modification.  The appropriate candidate may be asked to deputise for the International SDA when necessary.

This is more than an appointment — it is a strategic leadership position with significant influence across industry and government stakeholders.

• Accountable to the GCAP DEOS Chief Engineer and International SDA, you will act as the UK National Design Authority for GCAP Distributed EO System.

• Lead the critical Sensor Head Maturation Programme including prototypes, pre-production C-Models and eventually production development.

• Ensure that the jointly developed solution satisfies UK National objectives and aspirations.

• Lead system and physical architecture, ensuring alignment across opto-mechanical design and multifunction capability.

• Responsible for the embodiment of the design solution and for defining the technical baseline.

• Drive systems engineering activities including design development, design verification, validation, qualification test, and authorisation for change management.

• Lead concept generation, solution development, and trade studies across the system lifecycle.

• Provide technical governance and approval of key engineering artefacts, including compliance matrices and qualification evidence.

• Engage with national stakeholders across government, industry partners, and customers.

• Ensure integration across subsystem domains including optical, mechanical, hardware and electro-mechanical systems.

• Support safety, security, and airworthiness activities.

• Lead technical reviews and ensure robust decision-making at system level.

• Extensive experience in complex systems engineering, ideally within electro-optics, sensing, or advanced electronic systems.

• Proven track record in system architecture leadership and design authority roles.

• Strong background in concept development and advanced system design.

• Ability to operate at programme and national stakeholder level.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and decision‑making skills.

• Experience within multi-partner defence programmes and familiarity with tools such as DOORS/Teamcenter (desirable).

This is not an exhaustive list, and 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: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting