Principal Hardware Engineer in Old Town

hackajob is collaborating with Leonardo to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role. Like the look of this opportunity? Make sure to apply fast, as a high volume of applications is expected.

Your Impact

Are you an experienced Hardware Engineer that would like to aid in the delivery of high-performance hardware that forms part of our Surveillance RADAR systems? If so, we would love to hear from you. In this role, you will experience the full engineering lifecycle within Leonardo assisting with requirement and architecture definition and maturation, the design of new novel PCB level electronics and work with the wider project team to support integration and qualification of product.

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.
• Create work package plans, advising on optimum team size/capability mix and reporting against the teams work programmes including analysis of risk.
• Resolve routine and complex technical and delivery issues within engineering, related to defined work package assignments, and 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.

The skills and experience we are looking for:

• Higher education approved STEM qualification at degree level as a minimum or equivalent as 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).

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!

Primary Location: GB - Edinburgh

Additional Locations: GB - Newcastle

Contract Type: Employee-Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid