Industrial Placement Firmware Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12 flexi-days annual leave

Pension up to 15%

Mental health support

Private healthcare & family cover

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd seeks an Industrial Placement Firmware Engineer for a one-year program in Luton. You’ll join a team delivering advanced Electronic Warfare capabilities and spend ~50% on a cohort-led project.

The role includes hands-on firmware work, collaboration across disciplines, and growth through dedicated coaching. The placement is based in Luton with at least three days on site weekly, offering mentorship, technical and professional skills development, and potential progression to the

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Electronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics Engineering, AI & Cybernetics, Communications Engineering, Information Engineering, Computer Science, Physics/Applied Physics, Mathematics/Applied Mathematics or Cyber Security or related STEM disciplines.
• Interest in firmware development, FPGA design or embedded systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and good communication.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of FPGA firmware solutions for embedded and real-time systems.
• Assist firmware verification and simulation activities.
• Use industry-standard development tools and hardware description languages.
• Support testing and validation to ensure performance requirements.
• Analyse technical data and present findings to engineering teams.
• Collaborate with systems, software and hardware engineers to integrate firmware solutions.
• Contribute to technical documentation and design reviews.

Skills

Firmware development

FPGA design

Embedded systems

Programming exposure

Teamwork

Analytical skills

Education

Electronic Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Computer Engineering

Robotics Engineering

AI & Cybernetics

Communications Engineering

Information Engineering

Computer Science

Physics or Applied Physics

Mathematics or Applied Mathematics

Cyber Security or related STEM disciplines

Tools

Development tools

HDL languages

Job description

Job Description

Job Description: Your impact Are you ready to make an impact and gain hands‑on experience working on real‑world projects from day one? At Leonardo, we’re looking for Industrial Placement students who want to be part of something extraordinary—shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. Our placements are designed to help you apply your studies in a practical setting, develop your technical skills, and gain valuable insight into how our business operates.

Our Industrial Placement Programme

Our Industrial Placement Programme As an Industrial Placement Firmware Engineer, you'll join a team delivering world‑leading Electronic Warfare capabilities that protect fast jets, UAVs, naval vessels and land platforms operating in some of the world's most demanding environments. Our Programme offers you the chance to spend a year with us, working on meaningful projects alongside subject matter experts, within multidisciplinary teams, and across the product lifecycle. You’ll receive a salary of £26,228, with coaching and support from a dedicated team to help you achieve both your placement objectives and personal development goals. Successful completion of an Industrial Placement with Leonardo may also lead to an offer on our Graduate Development Programme. During your placement, we encourage you to spend at least three days each week on site to integrate with your team and maximise your learning experience. This Opportunity is based in Luton.

What You'll Do

As part of our Firmware Engineering team, you'll support the development of high‑performance digital systems used within advanced Electronic Warfare solutions. Your activities will include:

• Supporting the design and development of FPGA firmware solutions for embedded and real‑time systems
• Assisting with firmware verification and simulation activities
• Using industry‑standard development tools and hardware description languages
• Supporting testing and validation activities to ensure designs meet performance requirements
• Analysing technical data and presenting findings to engineering teams
• Working closely with systems, software and hardware engineers to integrate firmware solutions
• Contributing to technical documentation and design reviews

Your Industrial Placement Project

Approximately 50% of your placement will be dedicated to a cohort‑led Industrial Placement project. Alongside fellow placement students, you'll help define, manage and deliver a substantial project over the course of your year placement. This is your opportunity to develop leadership, project management and stakeholder engagement skills while creating a meaningful business outcome.

What We're Looking For

You should be studying towards a degree in:

• Electronic Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Robotics Engineering
• AI & Cybernetics
• Communications Engineering
• Information Engineering
• Computer Science
• Physics or Applied Physics
• Mathematics or Applied Mathematics
• Cyber Security or related STEM disciplines

We'd also like to see:

• An interest in firmware development, FPGA design or embedded systems
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Exposure to programming, digital electronics or FPGA technologies through studies or personal projects

The Placement Experience

You'll benefit from:

• Hands‑on expérience on real engineering projects
• Mentoring from experienced engineers
• Technical and professional skills development
• A dedicated Industrial Placement cohort project
• Exposure to multiple engineering disciplines and technologies
• Opportunities to build your professional network across Leonardo

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, our teams are 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.
• 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.

Primary Location

GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300 Contract Type: Fixed term Hybrid Working: Hybrid International, multicultural, innovative, technological: this is Leonardo. The company’s passionate and talented team is strongly influenced by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) expertise, with a diverse range of experience that enables colleagues to share knowledge and know‑how across the generations. Leonardo always wants to expand its talent pool, here you can find the right opportunity for you!