Opto-Mechanical Engineer – Hybrid, Radar & Targeting in Newcastle upon Tyne

Your impact

Leonardo is a global leader in defence electronics and delivers systems for situational awareness, electronic defence and surveillance across land, sea and air. The Radar and Advanced Targeting line of business, based in Edinburgh but now with an additional location in Newcastle, is uniquely positioned as one of the world's top designers, developers and manufacturers of radars, lasers and infrared countermeasure systems.

We are currently recruiting Mechanical Engineers whose primary role will be to support the design and development of our cutting‑edge electro‑optic products for the Advanced Targeting sector, such as infra‑red countermeasure or laser directed energy systems like Dragonfire.

What you’ll do as a Mechanical Engineer

• Your role as a Mechanical Engineer will be to design, develop and support our world leading radar and electro‑optic products.
• You will be utilising state‑of‑the‑art methods, technology and tools to explore all aspects of the development lifecycle, including stress and thermal analysis, requirements analysis, design, implementation, test, build and production support.
• You will work under the direction of a more senior Mechanical Engineer as part of an integrated project team, and liaise closely with Engineers from other disciplines, particularly Systems and Electronics, as well as external suppliers.
• You will have the opportunity to develop your skills and undertake training to enhance your capability.
• Design innovative, optimised engineering solutions considering all requirements such as product quality, safety, reliability and testability.
• Perform ‘hands on’ mechanical design and development using 3D CAD software, including the production of the manufacturing data pack.
• Deliver design solutions against requirements, within budget and timescales.
• Provide key support to critical technical problem investigations and deliver effective solutions.
• Present or support robust engineering solutions at design and peer reviews to ensure technical accuracy of specifications, designs and reports.
• Continue professional development throughout your career by formal training and keeping up to date with the latest developments, which may aid performance.

What you’ll bring

• Qualified Mechanical Engineer with proven experience in an engineer level role, where you have undertaken Mechanical design activity throughout the product lifecycle.
• A minimum of an upper second‑class Honours degree in a relevant discipline or have equivalent job‑related experience.
• Be an experienced user of 3D CAD software (PTC Creo preferred) both for modelling and drawing creation.
• Demonstrable experience in Mechanical detailed design including numerical calculations, tolerance analysis (including GD&T) and generation of technical documentation and drawing packs.
• Understanding of ERP and PDM systems for configuration management and revision control (Teamcenter Unified preferred).
• Working towards becoming a Chartered Engineer with the IMechE or equivalent or alternatively possess and be able to demonstrate that you have the UK‑SPEC competencies necessary to obtain Chartered status in the next 2 years.
• Experience in opto‑mechanical design is preferred but not essential.

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.

Security Clearance

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).

Why join us

At 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.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity.
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website. Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know. Be part of something bigger – apply now!