Embedded Design Engineer - FPGA Academy

During the Academy, and following deployment, you will:

Undertake a structured 16‑week FPGA training programme combining:

Practical labs

Mentored design exercises

Online training material and self-led research

Apply systems thinking to hardware design challenges

Post training deployment into established engineering teams

Once you have completed the Academy, as a FPGA / Firmware Engineer, you will be responsible for (with support appropriate to your development stage):

Hardware requirements, capture and management

Concept development for complex functions and systems

FPGA design, implementation, and analysis

Applying verification techniques using VHDL or SystemVerilog, with exposure to UVM where applicable

Production of material for design reviews

Development of test planning, integration, and design verification activities

Ensuring all firmware designs comply with the company firmware development process

Working with FPGA technologies and tools from AMD, Altera, or Microchip

A degree (BSc, BEng, MEng, MSc, PhD, EngD) in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (preferred) or a related science (e.g. Physics)

Coding experience, such as: Embedded C / C++, Python / scripting languages, Low‑level or real‑time software, algorithmic or systems‑level programming

Proven engineering problem‑solving experience, demonstrated through academic projects, industrial experience or personal / independent engineering work

Strong digital engineering fundamentals and the ability to learn quickly

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

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 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!