Principal Electronics Engineer

Leonardo; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous leave with flexi-days

Up to 15% employer pension contribution

Free access to mental health support

Access to 4,000+ online courses

Flexible spending on benefits

Job summary

A leading defense and aerospace company is seeking a Principal Hardware Engineer to design PCB level electronics and manage the engineering lifecycle. The role demands significant experience in circuit design and hands-on hardware integration. Ideal candidates will possess a STEM degree and have a passion for innovation within the defense sector. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package and flexible hybrid working options.

Qualifications

• Experience with ADC/DAC and FPGA technology
• Knowledge of high-speed serial communication links
• Ability to liaise with suppliers of key components

Responsibilities

• Design new PCB level electronics and support integration.
• Resolve complex technical issues within engineering.
• Support a culture of innovation and best practices.

Skills

Circuit design

Mixed signal knowledge

Hands-on experience of Hardware, Firmware & Software Integration

Debugging and testing of new designs

Education

Higher education approved STEM qualification at degree level

Tools

PCB layout and simulation tools

Power Supply Design

Job description

Position Overview

Job Title: Principal Hardware Engineer

Primary Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Additional Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Are you an experienced Hardware Engineer who would like to aid in the delivery of high-performance hardware that forms part of our Surveillance RADAR systems? We are looking for a leader to design, mentor and drive the full engineering lifecycle within Leonardo.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with requirement and architecture definition and maturation.
• Design new novel PCB level electronics and support integration and qualification of product.
• Develop work package plans, advise on optimum team size/capability mix and report against the team’s work programme, including risk analysis.
• Resolve routine and complex technical and delivery issues within engineering, in accordance with local team engineering plans and processes.
• Communicate non‑routine technical and delivery issues to local engineering team or direct line management with resolution proposals.
• Support a culture of innovation within the local team, engineering discipline and wider business that creates solutions to project and business problems.
• Promote a culture of best practice sharing and knowledge exploitation.
• Contribute to local team and Engineering Unit decision making.
• Participate in continuous improvement activities to develop skills and competencies within the individual’s own engineering discipline and wider project.
• May supervise an Engineer or Senior Engineer.
• Participate in self‑development activities to improve skills & competencies in the specific engineering discipline and wider project.

What You’ll Bring

• Provide design of product within the Electronics Hardware discipline, to ensure successful delivery / transfer to production.
• Ensure engineering design is best practice by following Company and Engineering life cycle processes.
• Design engineering solutions taking into account all requirements such as product quality, safety, reliability and testability.
• Resolve routine and complex technical and delivery issues within engineering, related to defined work assignments.
• Communicate non‑routine technical and delivery issues to local engineering team or direct line management with resolution proposals.
• Support a culture of innovation within the local team, engineering discipline and wider business that creates solutions to project and business problems.
• Promote a culture of best practice sharing and knowledge exploitation.
• Contribute to local team and Engineering Unit decision making.
• Participate in continuous improvement activities to develop skills and competencies within the individual’s own engineering discipline and wider project.
• May supervise an Engineer or Senior Engineer.
• Participate in self‑development activities to improve skills & competencies in the specific engineering discipline and wider project.

Skills & Experience

• Higher education approved STEM qualification at degree level as a minimum or equivalent recognised by professional accreditation schemes.
• Circuit design (schematic capture) layout and simulation practitioner experience.
• 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).
• Analysing system level requirements documents and understanding their application to Hardware designs.
• Good domain knowledge of high‑speed serial communication links and knowledge of associated protocols and architectures, Power Supply Design and Analogue Design.
• Hands on experience of Hardware, Firmware & Software Integration of Micro Processor Based designs onto hardware platforms is essential.
• Debugging, testing and verification of new designs and supporting their commissioning and integration into the target system.
• Ability to liaise with suppliers of key components and assemblies.

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 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. We offer a comprehensive, company‑funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development and work–life balance.

Benefits

• Time to Recharge – generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your Future – 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 – hybrid hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

Contract Type

Employee – Permanent

Hybrid Working

Hybrid

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

Defense and Space Manufacturing, Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing, Computer and Network Security

About Leonardo

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.

Application

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