Lead Embedded Software Engineer

Your impact

Do you want to develop embedded software executing on the latest hardware technology? Leonardo is looking for experienced Lead Embedded Software Engineers to join our expanding Software community. You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, working closely with other engineers to ensure completion of complex multi-processor systems on cutting-edge Arm and Intel SoC platforms. The work is innovative, fast-paced and challenging.

You will develop embedded software for a state-of-the-art radar platform. You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, working closely with Electronic and VHDL/FPGA engineers to ensure the successful testing and commissioning of a complex multi-unit system. The work is innovative and challenging on cutting-edge Arm and Intel SoC platforms

Within the software engineering community at Leonardo Edinburgh, our mission is simple: \”Deliver new features and enhancements quickly and continuously to keep our operators safe.\” That means we need to develop features, gather data, diagnose problems and deploy updates as quickly as possible. As a Software Engineer, you\’ll understand the value you deliver to our customers and how important that is to mission success.

Depending on your level of expertise, you\’ll mentor, coach and teach other software engineers, and actively contribute to sharing knowledge

What you’ll bring

To be successful in this role we really need you to have expreince with the following:

• Strong low level embedded C programming skills
• Experience in debugging, testing and integrating software with firmware (VHDL/Verilog) and hardware
• A good understanding of electronics and use of test equipment
• Knowledge of communication protocols (Ethernet, PCIe, Serial, I2C, SPI)

If you have the above skills, the following will really help you stand out

• Use of RTOSs
• Experience developing solutions for ARM or Intel based multicore processing platforms
• Deployment of software to distributed hardware platforms, multicore programming, memory management techniques, device driver development, code optimisation, interrupt-driven designs
• A solid grasp of C++
• Familiarity with configuration management tools, defect tracking and peer review
• Knowledge of standards such as DO-178C and coding standards such as MISRA C/C++
• Requirements management tools
• Experience of Agile development and Atlassian toolset

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. 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 working hours are available, however, due to the nature of this role, full-time on site working will be required. 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.

Be part of something bigger – apply now!

Primary Location: GB – Edinburgh

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Onsite