FPGA Firmware Specialist in Southampton

Salary Ranges

• Principal: £54k - £71k
• Lead: £60k - £84k

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.

Your Impact:

This FPGA Firmware Specialist vacancy presents an exciting opportunity for an ambitious individual to develop their skills and knowledge within a thriving electronics organisation. In this broad VHDL 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 FPGAs and System-on-Chips (SoCs) to help shape our future products. Key tasks shall also include supporting the vital architectural design decisions for defining the software-firmware architectures of our embedded systems. The role shall be based in either Southampton or Bristol with a primary focus on the design, development and architectures of embedded firmware solutions for complex aircraft sensor and communication systems. You will be part of the Leonardo Airborne Communications 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 design and analysis.
• Firmware architectural solutions.
• Production of documentation for other engineers and evidence for design reviews.
• Development of FPGA test and FPGA integration plans.
• Perform system integration work 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 you will bring:

• Experience using FPGA technologies especially from either Xilinx, Microsemi (Actel) or Lattice and their tools.
• Experience of defining firmware-software based solutions.
• Embedded soft-core processor instantiation and SoC design experience.
• Advanced verification techniques using either VHDL or System 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 full firmware design lifecycle, 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 for Firmware design activities.
• 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 radio-based communication systems.
• Experience of mentoring more 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).

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.
• 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. Be part of something bigger - apply now!