FPGA Design Engineers

Leonardo UK; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Time to Recharge: up to 12 flexi-days

Pension scheme with employer contrib.

Mental health support

Bonus scheme for performance

Access to online courses (Coursera/Plu

LinkedIn Learning

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a Lead/Principal FPGA/Firmware Engineer to join our teams in Luton or Bristol. You will own firmware requirements, perform FPGA design and lead a group of engineers across UK sites.

You will work with world-class facilities to deliver complex digital firmware, with opportunities for cross-border reviews and process improvements within UK FPGA/Firmware delivery teams.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in electronics or computing.
• Proficient in VHDL, Verilog/SystemVerilog with UVM.
• Experience with FPGA architectures from Xilinx/Intel/Microsemi.
• Hands-on with PCIe, Ethernet, JESD interfaces.
• Experience deriving FPGA/firmware requirements from system specs.
• Knowledge of RTCA DO-254 or similar processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead firmware requirements capture and FPGA design activities.
• Develop FPGA test plans and integration with PCBs.
• Produce technical documentation for reviews.
• Guide a team of firmware engineers and foster best practices.
• Align work with company firmware processes and governance.
• Engage in cross-site technical reviews and capability improvements.

Skills

VHDL

Verilog

SystemVerilog

Xilinx

Verilog-AMS

UVM

PCIe

Ethernet

JESD

Matlab/Simulink

RTCA DO-254

Cryptography

AI/ML concepts

Embedded firmware

Team leadership

Education

HNC/HND or Undergraduate Degree in Electronic Engineering / Computer Science / Physics

Tools

VHDL

Xilinx toolchain

Verilog

SystemVerilog

UVM

Matlab/Simulink

Job description

Your impact Would you like to deliver the complex Firmware that forms part of our self-protection systems installed on fast jet, UAV, land and naval platforms? Do you have experience leading Firmware teams or delivering highly complex embedded solutions Leonardo is looking for Lead and Principal FPGA/Firmware Engineers to join our growing Luton or Bristol based teams.

As an experienced FPGA/Firmware engineer you will work with experts in their field, using world-class facilities to deliver Firmware for complex digital systems that meet challenging future customer requirements. Your role may even take you across the UK or abroad for technical reviews. You will use or develop team leading experience to support the delivery of work from several engineers. Your expertise will also be key to enhance processes and ways of working across UK wide FPGA/Firmware delivery teams.

What you will do:

• Firmware requirements capture and management;
• FPGA design and analysis;
• Production of documentation for other engineers and evidence for design reviews;
• Development of FPGA test and FPGA integration plans;
• Perform system integration work with PCB designers
• Support all firmware designs through the company firmware process - training will be given
• Modification of existing firmware designs and test benches

Qualifications and Experience

• An HNC/HND or Undergraduate Degree (Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, AI, Games Programming, Physics, or Applied Physics) or you may just have lots of skills and experience gained through your hard work.
• Design tools such as VHDL, Xilinx, TCL, Verilog, System Verilog and UVM
• FPGA architectures such as Xilinx 7. Xilinx UltraScale; Intel (Altera) or Microsemi (Actel).
• Fast interfaces such as PCIe, Ethernet, and JESD is also required.
• Auto-generated code using model driven engineering using Matlab and Simulink tools
• Derivation of detailed FPGA/Firmware requirements and architecture from system requirements
• A structured approach to FPGA/firmware design (RTCA DO-254 or similar)
• Cryptography and anti-tamper techniques
• Artificial Intelligence including machine learning and genetic algorithms
• Electronics test methods and equipment
• Good verbal and written communication skills

Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity. Where this vacancy is being recruited across more than one grade, the successful candidate will be appointed to a specific assessed grade, and the applicable salary range will be that associated with the grade of appointment.

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.

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).

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.