Electro Optical Test Engineer

Job Description:

Leonardo is a world-leading high-tech company and one of the key players in Aerospace, Defence and Security. The products developed at Basildon have widespread uses in industrial and civil applications as well as fulfilling many military requirements.

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.

Your impact:

As an Electro Optical Test Engineer, you will support the design, development, and ongoing support of electro-optical test equipment and test processes for Leonardo’s range of Precision Guidance products – from early development through to production.

You will work as part of the test engineering team, contributing to the specification, design, integration, and verification of test solutions. This includes working on a variety of systems incorporating optical, thermal, electronic, and software components.

The role is hands-on and requires a broad technical understanding. You’ll also provide support to production teams and contribute to resolving test-related issues on existing systems.

Key Responsibilities:

As a Senior Test Engineer at Leonardo, your typical responsibilities will include:

• Interpreting product-level test requirements to support the definition and implementation of test strategies and systems
• Supporting the design and commissioning of test systems used in development and production
• Participating in the integration, verification, and validation of test solutions
• Performing hands-on laboratory testing and measurement using electro-optical instrumentation
• Writing and reviewing technical documentation including test procedures and user instructions
• Providing production support by troubleshooting test system issues and analysing root causes of test failures or field returns
• Working closely with cross-disciplinary teams (hardware, software, optical and systems engineers) to ensure successful product and test system delivery

Key Skills and Experience required

Essential

• HND or higher qualification in System, Electrical, Electronic, or related engineering discipline
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: Electrical testing, Electro-optics, Environmental testing
• Familiarity with optoelectronic components and systems (e.g. lasers, photodetectors)
• Practical experience with lab-based testing, diagnostics, and measurement
• Good understanding of test instrumentation and data analysis
• Ability to follow and contribute to structured engineering processes
• Strong attention to detail and good organisational skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively within a team

Desirable

• Experience with test software tools (e.g. LabVIEW, MATLAB or similar)
• Soldering Experience
• Knowledge of mechanical design and STTE.
• Understanding and Knowledge of using industry standard ECAD tools
• Awareness of environmental effects on hardware performance

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). 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. 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.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location:

GB - Basildon

Contract Type:

Employee-Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid