Senior VHDL FPGA Engineer

Leonardo UK Ltd; Wickford; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working

Private healthcare

Pension

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd in Basildon seeks an experienced FPGA Engineer to design and develop embedded VHDL firmware for airborne electro-optics subsystems. You will work across product lifecycle from concept to early life production, using high-speed FPGAs and SoCs in a multidisciplinary team.

The role sits in the Sensors product development group within Integrated Sensing & Protection, with a focus on delivering robust FPGA firmware while collaborating with partners and subcontractors.

Qualifications

• Experience using FPGA technologies from major vendors (Xilinx, Microsemi/Actel or Lattice).
• Advanced verification using VHDL/SystemVerilog/UVM.
• Ability to specify timing/area constraints for FPGA place-and-route.
• Derive firmware requirements from system level specs.
• Familiarity with DO-254 or similar firmware processes.
• Experience with IEC 61508 in safety-related firmware is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Capture and manage firmware requirements.
• Design and analyze FPGA logic.
• Produce design documentation and evidence for reviews.
• Develop FPGA test plans and integration plans.
• Perform system integration with PCB and embedded software teams.
• Support firmware through the standard firmware process and modify designs as needed.

Skills

FPGA design

Firmware development

VHDL

SystemVerilog/UVM

Timing constraints

RTCA DO-254

IEC 61508

FPGA tooling

Hardware-software integration

technical decision making

Tools

Xilinx toolchain

ModelSim

Questa

HDL Designer

Siemens EDA tools

Job description

Job Description:

Salary Range: £45k - £61k

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 offers an additional allowances for some roles – for more information please contact [e-mail]

Your Impact:

At Leonardo, we are excited to be recruiting for a skilled FPGA Engineer to work within a multi-disciplinary team for our Precision Guidance area.

In this broad FPGA firmware engineering role, you will work across a range of projects throughout various stages of the product lifecycle from initial concept development through to early life production. You will work with some of the latest high-speed FPGA’s and System-on-Chips (SoC’s) to help shape our future products.

The role shall be based in Basildon with a primary focus on the design and development of embedded VHDL firmware for complex airborne electro-optics subsystems.

You will be part of the Leonardo Sensors product development group within the Integrated Sensing & Protection line of business, interacting with partner organisations, sub-contractors and potential customers.

What you will do:

• Firmware requirements capture and management.
• FPGA designand analysis.
• Production of documentation for other engineers and evidence for design reviews.
• Development of FPGA test andFPGA integrationplans.
• Performsystem integrationwork with PCB designers and embedded software engineers.
• Support all firmware designs through the company firmware process – training will be given.
• Modification of existing firmware designs and test benches.

What we are looking for:

What you really must have

• Experience using FPGA technologies especially from either Xilinx, Microsemi (Actel) or Lattice and their tools.
• Advancedverification techniquesusing eitherVHDLorSystem Verilog/ UVM.
• Specifying complex timing and area constraints for efficient FPGA place and route.
• Ability to analyse system level requirements and derive detailed Firmware requirements.
• A methodical approach to the fullfirmware designlifecycle, working to a structured firmware process such as RTCA DO-254 or similar.
• Experience of working on safety related firmware to IEC 61508 would be advantageous.
• De-bugging firmware designs and supporting verification and integration at hardware and system level alongside Software and Hardware Engineers.
• Making technical decisions and mitigating technical risk forFirmware designactivities.
• Ability to communicate effectively across different disciplines both verbally and in written form.
• Familiarity with Siemens EDA FPGA development tools including HDL Designer and ModelSim / Questa is an advantage.

It would be nice if you had:

• Awareness of Safety, Security and other legislative constraints
• Engineering experience with electro-optic systems – e.g. cameras, thermal imagers and/or image processing systems/algorithms.
• Experience ofmentoringmore junior members of the team.

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

Life at Leonardo

With a company funded benefits package, a commitment to learning and development, and a flexible approach to working hours focused on the needs of both our employees and customers, a career with Leonardo has never offered as many opportunities or been more accessible to as many people.

• Flexible Working:Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us
• Company funded flexible benefits:Access to private healthcare, dental schemes, Workplace ISA, Go Green Car Scheme, technology and lifestyle options (£500 annual allowance)
• Holidays:25 days plus bank holidays, option to buy/sell leave and to accrue up to 12 additional flexi leave days per year
• Pension:Award winning pension scheme (up to 15% employer contribution)
• Wellbeing:Employee Assistance Programme with access to free mental health support, financial wellbeing support and network groups to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to diversity & inclusion (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity)
• Lifestyle: Discounted Gym membership, Cycle to work scheme
• Training:Free access to more than 4000 online courses via Coursera and Linkedin Learning
• Referral Incentive:You can earn a reward for successfully referring a friend or family member
• Bonus:Scheme in place for all employees at management level and below

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.

Primary Location:

GB - Basildon

Contract Type:

Employee-Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid