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Leonardo

Aerospace, defense tech design and manufacturing

Innovation & Capability Specialist

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026Deadline 11/22/26
€36.5k - €54k/yr+ Business-results bonus + €250 annual welfare benefit + 13th-month salary
Mid, Senior, Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
Genoa, Metropolitan City of Genoa, Italy+2 moreMore locations: Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy | Milan, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy
HybridPrimarily office-based with hybrid working; short- to medium-duration travel in Italy and/or abroad.
Business & StrategyCorporate Strategy

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's or master's degree in Engineering or a related discipline; Electrical, Computer, Aerospace, or Management Engineering is preferred.
  • Prior experience in analogous roles at Expert or Senior level is preferred, while motivated junior candidates willing to learn and grow are also considered.
  • Ability to work closely with real systems, collect and analyze data in operational situations, and contribute to capability assessment and optimization in realistic scenarios.
  • Knowledge of architectures and enabling technologies for complex systems, including open architecture, cloud computing, and service-oriented architecture, and of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality.
  • Familiarity with systems engineering processes; Model-Based Systems Engineering is preferred.
  • Ability to draft and analyze technical specifications and requirements and participate in the design and assessment of technical-operational capabilities.
  • Basic knowledge of investment initiative management, including planning, cost monitoring, business-case preparation, and reporting.
  • Ability to understand customer needs and the competitive context and translate them into concrete, sustainable solutions that support business growth.
  • Analytical mindset oriented toward problem-solving and synthesis.
  • Proactivity and initiative in identifying and developing innovation opportunities.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with colleagues, stakeholders, and customers.
  • Flexibility and adaptability in dynamic and challenging organizational contexts.
  • Curiosity and interest in continuous learning about technology and methods.
  • Ability to work in teams and multidisciplinary contexts.
  • Strategic and value orientation, including a systems perspective and ability to align technology initiatives with medium- and long-term business outcomes and the evolution of the offering.
  • English proficiency at C1 level.
  • Good command of IT tools for analysis, technical documentation, and cross-functional collaboration, such as MS Office, project-management tools, and collaborative platforms.
  • Willingness to work primarily on-site and undertake short- or medium-duration business trips in Italy and/or abroad after suitable on-the-job training.
Responsibilities
  • Analyze technology trends and emerging solutions, including artificial intelligence, augmented/virtual reality, data analytics, and blockchain, relevant to the CSS Line of Business application domains.
  • Contribute to defining innovative capabilities that support the evolution of the company offering.
  • Collaborate with engineering, marketing, sales, and innovation units to develop and promote new products and services.
  • Participate in the technical specification of complex solutions and systems, with attention to interoperability and modular architecture.
  • Support demonstrations, trials, and validation activities internally and at customer and external-organization sites.
  • Contribute to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting technical data supporting exercises, simulations, and use cases.
  • Participate in initiatives, workshops, and exercises that advance technological innovation in the relevant domains.
  • Prepare technical documentation and concise reports supporting business decisions and customer communications.
  • Manage and update assigned investment plans, including monitoring progress and checking objectives.
  • Control costs and financial commitments in accordance with forecasts and budget constraints.
  • Prepare periodic and ad hoc reports for institutional meetings, internal committees, and external discussions.
  • Identify new investment opportunities aligned with the Line of Business strategic objectives.
  • Prepare business cases and project proposals in accordance with company processes and guidelines.
Desired Qualifications
  • Previous experience in analogous roles at Expert or Senior level is preferred.
  • Model-Based Systems Engineering is preferred.

About the company

Leonardo operates in aerospace, defense, and security, designing and manufacturing advanced technologies for militaries, intelligence agencies, and defense contractors. Its products combine hardware, software, and services and can include end-to-end systems built by subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS; training and ongoing support are core parts of the offering. The company differentiates itself through a broad, diversified portfolio and long-standing relationships with US and allied governments, enabling end-to-end development and sustainment. Its goal is to provide reliable, state-of-the-art capabilities with strong customer support and training for defense, intelligence, and civil infrastructure customers.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Rome, Italy

Founded

2022

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • H1 2026 orders jumped 45% to €16 billion, and guidance rose July 30.
  • FY2025 revenue reached €19.5 billion, with 2026 guidance targeting about €21 billion.
  • European Defence Fund awarded Leonardo €64 million on 15 projects, deepening sovereign demand.

What critics are saying

  • Italy’s CEO replacement fight triggered investor backlash and governance distrust on May 7, 2026.
  • OHB threatened litigation over Project Bromo, risking a dragged EU review into 2027.
  • Integrating IDV, Becrypt, and space assets strains execution; any stumble kills consolidation credibility.

What makes Leonardo unique

  • Leonardo fused IDV and electronics, creating integrated land-systems primes on March 18, 2026.
  • Project Bromo positions Leonardo inside Europe’s strongest satellite consortium against SpaceX by 2027.
  • Becrypt and Leonardo DRS extend one stack across classified cyber, AI, and mission software.

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Benefits

  • Remote Work Options
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Health Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

13%

1 year growth

13%

2 year growth

14%
Yahoo Finance
Jul 31st, 2026
Leonardo's H1 2026 orders surge 40% to $18.1B, EBITDA guidance raised to $2.5B

Leonardo SpA reported a 40% surge in orders to approximately €16 billion in H1 2026, driven by strong demand across divisions including major helicopter and jet contracts. Revenue rose 10% year-over-year, excluding currency headwinds. EBITDA reached €730 million, up 30%, whilst return on sales improved to 7.6% from 6.5%. Adjusted net income increased 74% and free operating cash flow improved 45% despite remaining negative in the first half. The company raised its full-year guidance, increasing expected new orders to €28.2 billion, EBITDA to €2.21 billion, and free operating cash flow to €1.37 billion. Net debt stood at €3.2 billion, including the IVECO Defence Vehicles acquisition. The acquisition contributed €6 billion to the backlog and €400 million in Q2 revenues. Helicopter deliveries increased from 72 to 81 units, whilst aerostructures revenue jumped 44% on higher B7A7 production rates.

Yahoo Finance
Jun 23rd, 2026
Europe's $7.3B space merger aims to rival SpaceX as Airbus, Leonardo and Thales seek approval

Airbus, Leonardo and Thales are preparing to seek European Union approval for a three-way space merger, arguing Europe needs a unified champion to compete with SpaceX and China. The deal, known as Project Bromo, would combine major European space assets across satellite manufacturing and systems. The proposed company would employ roughly 25,000 people, generate approximately €6.5 billion in annual revenue and maintain an order backlog exceeding three years. Ownership would be split with Airbus holding 35% whilst Leonardo and Thales would each own 32.5%. The merger faces opposition from Germany's OHB and Spain's Indra Space, which warn it could reduce competition in Europe's satellite market. The deal represents an early test of new European Commission merger guidelines that may prioritise scale when companies face global competitors.

MarketScreener
Jun 12th, 2026
Leonardo wins $72M from EU Defence Fund for 15 space and defence projects

Leonardo has secured €64 million in funding from the 2025 European Defence Fund, with 15 of its 18 submitted proposals selected. The allocation includes €51 million for development and €13 million for research across 11 capability development initiatives and four research projects. The EDF 2025 cycle saw 57 projects selected from 410 submissions, involving 634 entities across 26 European countries plus Norway and Ukraine, with a total budget of approximately €1 billion. Small and medium-sized enterprises represented 38% of participants. Key Leonardo projects include ASIMOV, focused on in-orbit operations for European defence, and ANEMOS, a research initiative for radio communication solutions. Including contributions from group subsidiaries, Leonardo's total funding reaches approximately €84 million.

404 Media
Jun 8th, 2026
Surveillance firm plans to link phones, AirPods and smartwatches to license plate readers

Leonardo, a surveillance company, plans to add SignalTrace sensors to automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) that would collect unique identifiers from mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, and other electronics in passing vehicles. The technology would link these device identifiers to licence plates, enabling law enforcement to track specific individuals rather than just vehicles. SignalTrace can detect RFID tags in key cards, Bluetooth devices like headphones and fitness trackers, vehicle components such as tyre pressure sensors, and Wi-Fi sources including laptops. The system stores this data for future searches and uses algorithms to correlate devices that consistently travel together with specific licence plates. Leonardo sells ALPR cameras to law enforcement and government agencies. The company did not respond to requests for comment about the product.

Yahoo Finance
May 7th, 2026
OHB threatens legal action over Airbus-Thales-Leonardo satellite merger

German satellite maker OHB will consider legal action if EU regulators approve a planned merger of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo's satellite businesses, CEO Marco Fuchs told Reuters on Thursday. The three aerospace groups announced "Project Bromo" in October, aiming to create a stronger European competitor to SpaceX and Chinese rivals. However, OHB fears the deal could weaken competition and disrupt its supply chain in Europe. Fuchs dismissed comparisons with Chinese competitors, noting Europe does not purchase satellites from China. The core regulatory question is whether the new entity would primarily compete globally or reinforce market dominance in Europe. OHB's market value has risen roughly fivefold to €5 billion over the past year. The company reported 18% quarterly revenue growth with order backlog up 45%.