Embedded Design Engineer

Leidos; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Job summary

Leidos’ Defense Systems - Sensor Research and Analysis Division seeks an Embedded Design Engineer to contribute to radar design, simulation, and HWIL testing.

You will focus on RF seeker signal processing, MATLAB modeling, and validation on radar hardware, presenting results to government and prime contractor stakeholders.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited degree in a technical field plus 2–4 years of real-time software design and testing experience; or master’s with <2 years relevant experience.
• Experience with C, C++, or Python embedded software programming.
• Strong math fundamentals: signals, DSP, tracking, electromagnetics.
• Ability to apply skills to radar modeling, simulation, and field testing of sensor systems.
• Experience with MATLAB, Python or similar tools for math/science phenomenology.
• Experience creating test plans, data reduction for reports, and technical documentation.
• Strong organizational skills and proactive collaboration in a fast-paced environment.
• US Citizenship with ability to obtain/maintain Final Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop real-time software for radar modeling, simulation, and testing.
• Collaborate on RF seeker waveform design, signal processing, and tracking algorithms.

Skills

Embedded software

RF seeker concepts

MATLAB modeling

Python programming

Signal processing

Kalman filtering

Education

ABET-accredited Bachelor’s or Master’s in CS/SE

Tools

MATLAB

Python

C/C++

FPGA/SoC (Xilinx)

Job description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact? At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business. Your greatest work is ahead!

Leidos’ Defense Systems - Sensor Research and Analysis Division is seeking an Embedded Design Engineer to join our team. The division performs radar design, hardware builds, algorithm development, software development, HWIL testing and analysis across a variety of both research and development and operational tasks. The candidate selected for this role will primarily support the algorithm development efforts of the division with a focus on RF seeker signal processing capabilities and concepts of operations. The selected candidate will maintain a familiarity with the fielded systems our division supports, investigate cutting-edge RF seeker technologies, and develop studies which educate our customers on seeker technology advancements. These studies will consist of provisional MATLAB modeling, closed-loop simulation, and validation on radar hardware. The candidate will present progress and findings of these studies to government and prime contractor stakeholders and will collaborate with the rest of the division on radar development and testing activities.

Relevant Experience Areas

• RF Seeker CONOPS – Concepts of operations and decisions to close the kill chain with an RF seeker in various use cases and environments.
• RF Seeker Mode Logic – Waveform, algorithm, and guidance methods associated with distinct stages of an RF Seeker flight, and transitioning between those stages.
• Signal Processing – Waveform design, matched filtering, detections processing, clutter rejection, target feature extraction
• Electronic Warfare – Analysis of radio signal countermeasures and protections against countermeasures
• Simulation Development – Designing architecture, resource management, interface, and feature models of radar and seeker simulations
• Modeling & Analysis – Setup, test, analyze, and evaluate radar or communications algorithms in software
• Software Development – Experience in high-performance computing languages such as C++, Python, etc.
• Calibration – Far-field and/or near-field calibration techniques for radar systems
• Tracking – Design and analysis of Kalman filters, IMU, detection to track association varieties
• Radar Resource Management – Scheduling techniques for optimized commands between radar subsystems
• RF Test Equipment – Experience with RF troubleshooting equipment such as Vector Network Analyzers, oscilloscopes, and signal generators

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field from an ABET‑accredited institution plus 2-4 years of experience in the design, development, and testing of real-time software applications and simulations; or a master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field from an ABET accredited institution with less than 2 years of relevant experience simulations
• Experience with C, C++, or Python embedded software programming.
• Must have excellent math skills and/or possess and show good fundamentals in one or more of the following: Signals and systems Digital signal processing Tracking algorithms Electromagnetics
• Should be able to apply one or more of the above skills to the areas of radar modeling & simulation, antenna array theory, digital signal processing, tracking, algorithm development, and field testing of sensor systems.
• Experience working with MATLAB, Python, or similar scientific-based programming tools to implement math or science based phenomenology related to linear systems, digital signal processing, tracking, or electromagnetics is required.
• Experience with developing component/subsystem/system level test plans, reducing data for test reporting, and developing test reports.
• Good organizational skills, attention to detail, and a strong technical background.
• A positive, proactive attitude and enthusiasm for learning, collaborating, and tackling challenging engineering problems.
• Candidate must be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area. This is NOT a remote or work-from-home position.
• Candidate must be a US Citizen and possess (and be able to maintain) a Final Secret Clearance or meet the eligibility to obtain (and maintain) a Secret Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated proficiency in several of the listed experience areas.
• Relevant publications in any of the listed technical experience areas.
• Highly organized, demonstrating the ability to work independently at times due to fast-paced and highly productive work environment.
• Ability to create design documentation, requirements specifications, and other technical documentation.
• Experience creating design documentation, requirements specifications, or other technical documentation.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating, interpreting, and implementing concepts from peer-reviewed scientific literature (e.g., IEEE publications).
• Utilizing modern Xilinx FPGA and SoC families and design tools (RFSoC, Xilinx IP Cores, AXI4, AXI-Stream).
• Basic knowledge of FPGA/Firmware languages (VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog, assembly, Rust).
• Experience with simulation and test frameworks.
• RISC microprocessors architectures (ARM Cortex, Microblaze, PowerPC, RISC-V).
• Memory architectures, types, and caching.
• GNU/Linux and developing kernel drivers.
• Communication protocols such as: UART, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, CAN bus, etc.
• Embedded operating systems (Linux, VxWorks, Integrity, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, uC/OS-II).
• Electronics and PCBA design.
• Leading design teams including technical leadership, budgeting, and scheduling.

At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Pay Range

Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here. Securing Your Data Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Commitment and Diversity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

Original Posting: October 27, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.