Lead Firmware Engineer in Bedford

Saab UK is part of Scandinavia’s largest defence company, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation. Saab offers world‑leading solutions and services in defence, aviation, space, and civil security to keep people and society safe. Our UK presence has been growing at pace, meaning we can offer a wide range of opportunities for personal fulfilment and career growth.

This role is part of our BlueBear Business in Bedfordshire. You will be required to support a mixture of R&D and product development activities within a leading autonomy and unmanned systems company. Blue Bear continuously innovates within core areas such as UAV autopilots, mission systems, ground control stations, and all supporting systems and infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead in the design, implementation and test of real‑time embedded software to support both experimental activities and product development, ensuring real‑time safety, security and redundancy considerations are met.
• Develop, own and execute firmware roadmaps working closely with Software and Electronics department leads.
• Lead a skilled team in the delivery of firmware for high‑paced projects.
• Delivery and maintenance of the embedded systems software within the UAV specifically.
• Support development of automated HWIL test environments.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum 5+ years experience of embedded Linux.
• Experience leading a team of low‑level software engineers.
• Sound understanding of Linux kernel configuration and tuning.
• Experienced user of Linux OS build toolchains such as Yocto and Buildroot.
• Programming languages: C, C++, Python, Scripting (including Bash).
• Ability to work from application code right down to bare metal.
• Experience of working with core communication interfaces such as UART, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, CAN.
• Experienced at hardware level debugging and fault finding.
• Experience of Electronics design, development and testing.
• Awareness of FPGAs and VHDL.
• Able to interpret relevant data from electronic schematics and component datasheets and application notes for the purposes of code writing.
• RTOS coding and debugging.
• Awareness of assurance frameworks (DO-178C etc.) and secure by design.
• Conducting code reviews.
• Familiar with use of version control tools such as Git.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• To undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may be reasonably required within the grade and level of the post.
• You will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your evolving role within the company and the overall business objectives of the company.

By submitting an application to Saab UK you consent to undertaking workforce screening activities that may include but are not limited to: Baseline Personnel Security checks, National Security Vetting, reference checks, verification of working rights and in all circumstances preferred candidates will be placed through a security interview.