Solution Architect - Land CEMA in Essex

Job Description Are you a Solutions Architect who loves contributing to the UKs Defence Industry and making impactful change? Leonardo has an exciting opportunity for someone with a background in Defence Communications or Cyber shaping both enterprise and system-level solution designs. This role is key to ensuring resilient, modular, and scalable solutions for future customer needs and operating environments. The Solution Architect’s role is as broad as it is diverse and challenging and is a pivotal role within Leonardo’s Land CEMA Integrated Capture Team. Activities will range from SI Enterprise Architecture design, identification of technical solutions shaping both enterprise and system-level solution designs. This role is key to ensuring resilient, modular, and scalable solutions for future customer needs and operating environments. Operating at the intersection of strategy, engineering, and business development, the Solution Architect will collaborate with colleagues across disciplines to define clear solution definitions to strengthen our current reputation as a trusted partner in defence technology. The role also requires close engagement with customers, partners, and industry stakeholders to build enduring relationships. The Focus Of This Role Is Maintaining high awareness of all relevant developments around Land CEMA Architecture (Standards for Integrated C5ISR/EW Systems) (LCA (STICS)) Architect and deliver CEMA capabilities across enterprise and system levels, ensuring interoperability, resilience, and customer value. Shape technical and commercial strategy by evaluating alternative approaches, balancing bespoke development with Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) integration. Lead technical input to bids and campaigns, producing architectures, requirements, and cost estimates that drive competitive advantage. Engage directly with customers and partners, translating operational needs into clear technical solutions and building trusted long‑term relationships. Generate thought leadership through white papers, studies, and stakeholder engagement, influencing future defence programmes and market direction. Support recruitment and mentoring, building a pipeline of engineering talent and fostering innovation. Represent the organisation internationally, strengthening reputation and expanding market presence through B2B collaboration and strategic partnerships What You’ll Bring You will have a proven background within CEMA or Defence Communication applications and working at Solutions Architect or similar level. Required A degree (or equivalent experience) in a STEM subject and strong numerical, analytical and design skills, with the ability to apply these to real world problems. Significant experience developing communications, Electronic Warefare (EW) /CEMA and/or other vehicle mission systems-based architectures, products and systems, throughout the full lifecycle Experience of dealing with customers at a senior commercial and technical level Experience of estimating costs and technical risk for each solution approachExperience of full life cycle for product and system development – concept through to disposal Familiarity with open systems architectures such as Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA), LCA, GVA, OpenVPX, Modular Open Radio Frequency (RF) Architecture (MORA), OpenCPI, VITA Experience of formal user requirements capture, traceability and compliance management methodology and tools Experience of military electronic systems including an understanding of interoperability, operational use cases and customer needs Knowledge of military communications architecture[s] and principles Experience of relevant tools such as Cameo, Rhapsody, System Architect and The Mathworks Experience of military command and control networks in the Land and Maritime context Experience of the methodology and production of the engineering documentation necessary to support a competitive tender Experience working in a consultancy type role You will have proven experience as a Solutions Architect (or role with similar responsibilities), with the following attributes: Ability to understand customer’s business / technical needs and the ability to translate them into a technical solution, using language that customers can understand Excellent problem solving and innovation skills Strategic mindset: the ability to drive an organisation to achieve short term goals and long-term strategy Motivating and communicating – including the ability to empower and influence others Challenging and continuously improving Ability to work in a multiorganisational team Ability to present at all levels, both internally