Principal and Lead Hardware Engineers

Leonardo; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security in Luton is seeking experienced Principal and Lead Hardware Engineers. You will support the hardware lifecycle and design high-speed digital hardware for self-protection systems on various platforms. This role demands a strong background in electronics, circuit design, and integration of complex systems. A comprehensive benefits package is offered alongside hybrid working options.

Benefits

Generous leave and flexi-days

Award-winning pension scheme

Access to mental health support

Bonus scheme

Free online courses

Financial rewards for referrals

£500 annually on flexible benefits

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Experience with mixed signal knowledge using ADC/DAC.
• Practical experience of debugging, testing and verifying new designs.
• Ability to form ideas on your own and develop concept designs.

Responsibilities

• Support throughout the full hardware lifecycle.
• Document and record work products.
• Design high speed digital Printed Circuit Boards.

Skills

Circuit design

Debugging and testing

FPGA and Microprocessor design

High-speed serial communication

Hands-on hardware integration

Methodical design approach

Education

HNC/HND or Undergraduate Degree in Electronic Engineering

Tools

Simulation design tools

Job description

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Principal and Lead Hardware Engineers, Luton

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Client:

Leonardo

Location:

Luton, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

Online job listings

-

EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

Job Views:

8

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

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Job Description:

Job Description:

Your impact

Are you an experienced Hardware Engineer that would like to aid in the delivery of high-performance digital hardware that forms part of our self-protection systems and is installed on fast jet, UAV, land and naval platforms? If so, keep reading

Online job listings

We are recruiting for Principal and Lead Hardware Engineers to be part of various teams within the EW sector to support our next generation electronic platforms. You will experience the full engineering lifecycle within Leonardo assisting with requirement and architecture definition and maturation, the design of new novel PCB

level electronics and work with the wider project team to support integration and qualification of product

What you will do:

• Support throughout the full hardware lifecycle from requirements analysis; through design, and unit test; to integrating hardware with the target system; and lastly to acceptance test and delivery to customer
• Fully document and record your work products; keeping them under configuration management, and providing plans and progress reports
• Support the integration of hardware, firmware and software within your project
• Support product team qualification activities
• Support trials proving activities
• Design high speed digital Printed Circuit Boards that utilise the latest FPGA, Microprocessor and high speed interconnect technologies
• Work within a multi-disciplined team of engineers to solve real integration problems on complex systems

What you’ll bring

• Either an HNC/HND or Undergraduate Degree (Electronic Engineering, Physics, or Systems based) or you may just have lots of skills and experience gained through your hard work.
• Familiarity with circuit design (schematic capture) layout and simulation design tools
• Mixed signal knowledge using ADC/DAC, FPGA, SoC based design for high performance signal processing, communications and control.
• Integrating in-house designs with COTS modules (power supplies, single board computers, RF interfaces)
• Practical experience of debugging, testing and verifying new designs
• DFx knowledge specifically Design for EMC and EMI
• Analysis of system level requirements documents and understanding their application to Hardware designs
• Design of high speed serial communication links and knowledge of associated protocols and architectures
• Hands on experience of Hardware, Firmware & Software Integration of Micro Processor Based designs onto hardware platforms is essential
• A methodical approach to the full hardware design lifecycle, working to a structured hardware process
• Debugging, testing and verification of new designs and supporting their commissioning and integration into the target system
• Specialism in your field of interest and to be able to form ideas on your own and concept designs and product using best practice
• Willing to teach others and increase your own knowledge.

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:

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.

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Created on 12/08/2025 by TN United Kingdom