Head of Engineering

ZipRecruiter; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm seeks a Head of Engineering to lead their firmware development team in Cardiff. This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of embedded systems while working in a collaborative, hybrid environment. You will drive best practices in firmware design, mentor talent, and have a real impact on product strategy. With a competitive salary and a culture that values innovation and trust, this position is perfect for those passionate about delivering high-quality firmware solutions and leading a dynamic team. Join a forward-thinking company and make your mark in the tech industry.

Benefits

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Competitive salary + bonus potential

Culture of innovation and collaboration

Real influence on product strategy

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in firmware engineering, ideally in commercial products.
• Strong expertise in C/C++ and embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the firmware engineering team.
• Set technical direction for embedded systems development.

Skills

Leadership in embedded/firmware engineering

C/C++ programming

RTOS experience

Microcontrollers (ARM Cortex, STM32)

Low-level interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART)

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Job description

Job Description

Head of Engineering – Firmware

Cardiff (Hybrid – 2–3 days onsite)

£80,000–£90,000 + benefits

We’re looking for a Head of Engineering to lead our firmware development team in Cardiff. If you're passionate about embedded systems, leading high-performing teams, and delivering scalable, production-grade firmware, this is a chance to make your mark.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading and scaling a growing team of firmware engineers
• Setting technical direction across embedded systems architecture and development
• Working cross-functionally with Product, Hardware, QA, and Ops
• Driving best practices in firmware design, testing, CI/CD, and release management
• Mentoring talent and shaping engineering culture as we scale

What You’ll Bring

• Leadership experience in embedded/firmware engineering (ideally in a commercial product environment)
• Strong C/C++ skills and experience with RTOS, microcontrollers (ARM Cortex, STM32), and low-level interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART)
• A track record of delivering robust, secure, production firmware
• Great communication and stakeholder management skills

Nice to Have

• Experience with OTA updates, secure firmware design, and IoT platforms
• Exposure to regulated environments or firmware safety standards (e.g. ISO 26262, IEC 61508)

Why Us?

• Hybrid working (Cardiff HQ – 2–3 days a week)
• Competitive salary + bonus potential
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Culture of innovation, collaboration, and trust
• Real influence on product and technical strategy