Graduate Software Engineer

Job Description:

Your impact

Are you ready to launch your career and make an impact on real-world projects from day one?

At Leonardo, we’re looking for graduates who want to be part of something extraordinary—shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

We are committed to developing our graduates into leading technical or business professionals, and as such we will also support you through your preferred route for professional development.

Our Software Engineers have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of the product development, from solution concept through to system integration.

Leonardo is an international leader in electronic and information technologies for defence systems, aerospace, data, infrastructures, land security and protection, and sustainable ’smart’ solutions.

We want people who are passionate about software development, who want to continuously refine their technical skills and who want to be part of the cutting-edge and vibrant community that is Software Engineering at Leonardo.

Our 18-month Engineering Graduate Programme:

Our Graduate Programmes give you the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects alongside industry leaders.

On joining, you will receive a starting salary of £34,000 per annum, plus a £1,000 welcome bonus. You’ll also be eligible for a £1,000 exit bonus upon successful completion of the programme. In addition, you may be eligible for a Temporary Accommodation Allowance (TAA), subject to specific criteria.

We encourage you to spend at least three days each week on site to integrate with your team and maximise your learning experience. Depending on the project you are placed with, there could be a requirement for five days per week on site. 

As a Graduate Software Engineer you will:

Work on real-time projects alongside leading scientists and engineers within a globally renowned company.

• Have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of the product development, from solution concept through to system integration.

Key Responsibility Areas

As a Software Engineer you are responsible for creating high quality and robust code, for fully documenting and recording your work products, keeping them under configuration management and providing plans and reports on progress to your supervisor.

You will develop practical skills in design techniques for aerospace applications and understanding of key processes and technologies.

You will work closely with Software, Systems, Firmware and Electronics Engineers to solve real integration problems on a complex system. There may be opportunities to contribute towards the investigation and analysis of leading edge development methodologies and influence the future path of software development within Leonardo.

What we need from you:

We are looking for graduates who are enthusiastic about Software design and eager to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

All of our roles require a minimum of a 2:2 Bachelors/Integrated Master’s degree, or (b) a higher degree, such as a MSc or PhD. Relevant subjects include Software Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics or Electronic Engineering.

Highly desirable

• Experience of agile development

• programming in an object-oriented language such as C++

• knowledge of UML (Unified Modelling Language)

• Summer or Industrial placement experience relevant to your degree

A full statement of courses and projects studied at university and corresponding grades/marks/percentage should be included in your CV. 

Security Clearance

Many of our roles are subject to security and export control restrictions set by UK Government Security requirements and customer obligations.  As a result, and in line with the UK Government Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) requirements, all successful applicants will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record declaration information and employment and/or education history verification for the previous five years.

For staff operating in more sensitive posts, there is an additional range of personnel security controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV).  As part of this process, a range of factors may be considered, including an individual's background, travel history, nationality, previous nationalities held and other information relevant to the vetting assessment.

To be eligible for National Security Vetting at SC level, applicants will generally be expected to have continuously resided in the UK for the previous five years. For DV clearance, this is typically ten years.  In some circumstances, time spent overseas may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.  Additional vetting requirements may apply upon appointment.

For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do, key contributors in shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. 

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 are eligible for our bonus scheme.

• Join in our success: Our annual Employee Stock Ownership Plan provides you the opportunity to own shares in Leonardo.

• Tailored perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/company-benefits 

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, communities and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Start your extraordinary career – apply now!

Primary Location:

GB - Edinburgh

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid