Project Engineering Lead in Luton

Leonardo has an exciting opportunity for a Project Engineering Lead (PEL) to join the engineering team and drive the delivery of a major Combat Air programme within the systems domain. This hybrid role is predominantly based at our site in Capability Green, Luton, with limited remote working negotiable.

The Combat Air line of business deals with both legacy and blue-sky developments feeding in directly to the Eurofighter platform across multiple technological disciplines. This role encompasses a leadership role within the systems domain in support of a blue-sky development activity but can feed into multiple opportunities in the future.

This role requires the combination of effective people skills, leadership and technical acumen to provide both technical support and management across the systems team, the pivotal engineering function. Fundamental to this role is not only the technical co-ordination of internal engineering activities but also close engagement with a number of customers and sub-contract organisations. The PEL will be responsible for the delivery of the technical solution to meet the programme requirements and the direct line management of the systems team in support of the overall programme.

The PEL will work in tandem with the Project Engineering Manager (PEM) to manage delivery to cost and schedule and support in the management of customer relations. The PEL will also be responsible for creating and owning the engineering management plans and processes ensuring that the engineering aspects of the project are delivered in accordance with Company lifecycle management and legislative standards, including planning and managing the design maturity reviews.

• Agree, maintain, manage and report on the overall engineering plan for the systems function, establishing key performance measures, milestones and interdependencies.
• Ensure an effective interface between the systems team and the formal schedule.
• Deliver the engineering solutions on time, to cost, quality and to process.
• Own the engineering estimation and resourcing requirements for the delivery of engineering solutions, including customer tasking.
• Manage engineering resources deployed on the projects, ensuring that roles and objectives are clearly defined.
• Manage the interface between engineering and other functions, establishing and maintaining good lines of communication across the Integrated Project Team.
• Develop good working relationships with internal stakeholders, customers and suppliers to ensure an open and collaborative project environment.
• Work closely with the project design authority and subject matter experts to resolve technical issues and customer queries, providing metrics and reports to the customer as required.
• Work closely with the appointed safety, security and Design Integrity authorities to ensure that the delivered technical solutions will meet the performance, contractual and legislative requirements (and within the defined/ agreed constraints).
• Manage the technical risks and opportunities, including any associated mitigation strategies.
• Ensure effective implementation of the design maturity review process and ensure enabling maturity is tracked and delivered as part of the overall programme.
• Be responsible for system engineering aspects of the monthly Project Performance Reviews as well as any contractual customer reviews.
• Ensure that project configuration, quality and change management are implemented effectively, and to process.

Skills, Qualifications & Knowledge Required

You really should have:

• Proven experience of leadership of technical programmes, driving technical delivery alongside team management to create a high-performing team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong working relationships both internally and externally, and to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, across multiple sites.
• Experience of working effectively with suppliers and customers in the UK and abroad.
• Proven experience and knowledge of lifecycle management, risk management, project execution and business processes.
• Ability to produce clear, concise engineering documentation.
• Self-motivation with a strong aptitude for problem solving and decision-making within projects involving complexity and uncertainty.
• A proactive approach with a "can do" attitude, striving for continuous improvement, effectiveness and efficiency.
• Effective planning and schedule management skills with tried and tested work package definition, delegation and empowerment strategies.

Beneficial experience:

• Experience of working in the defence electronics sector.
• Knowledge of defensive aids systems or avionics equipment.
• Knowledge of aviation qualification for complex electronic equipment.
• Knowledge of planning tools like P6.
• A familiarity with Agile development methodology.

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).

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 (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• 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 part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

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.

We look forward to hearing from you!