Hardware Design Engineer

Job Description:

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.

Where this vacancy is being recruited across more than one grade, the successful candidate will be appointed to a specific assessed grade, and the applicable salary range will be that associated with the grade of appointment.

Leonardo offers an additional allowances for some roles – for more information please contact [email protected]

Your Impact:

What would you work on if you could shape the electronics at the heart of next‑generation Electronic Warfare and advanced sensing systems?
At Leonardo, our EW and FCA programmes demand hardware that performs at the edge of what’s physically possible — high‑speed, low‑noise, highly integrated and ultra‑reliable. Based primarily at our Luton and Bristol sites, you’ll work on mission‑critical electronics that operate in some of the most challenging environments imaginable. Hybrid working is supported, though on‑site presence (typically 3–4 days per week) may flex with programme needs.

What you will do as a Hardware Engineer working on EW and FCA programmes:

• Own and influence hardware designs across the full lifecycle — from system requirements and architecture through detailed design, test, integration and customer delivery.
• Design and develop complex, high‑performance electronics including:
  • High‑speed digital and mixed‑signal PCBs
  • FPGA, SoC and microprocessor‑based architectures
  • High‑speed serial interfaces and interconnects
• Translate system‑level requirements into robust, producible hardware solutions.
• Lead or significantly contribute to design reviews, trade studies and technical decision‑making.
• Integrate in‑house designs with COTS modules (power, compute, RF and high‑speed interfaces).
• Drive debug, test and verification activities at board and system level.
• For Principal and Lead engineers:
  • Provide technical leadership and mentoring within the team
  • Shape hardware strategy, standards and best practice across programmes
• Collaborate daily within multi‑disciplinary teams spanning systems, firmware, software, RF and manufacturing.

What you’ll bring:

You’ll bring depth in one or more hardware domains, combined with the confidence to operate on complex, safety‑critical systems.

Essential experience:

• Proven industry experience as a Senior, Principal or Lead Hardware Engineer.
• Strong background in one or more of:
  • High‑speed digital electronics
  • Mixed‑signal or high‑performance analogue design
  • Power electronics / low‑noise power architectures
• Hands‑on experience designing high‑speed PCBs, including schematic capture, layout oversight and simulation.
• Experience with:
  • FPGA, SoC or microprocessor‑based designs
  • High‑speed serial links and protocols (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, JESD‑class interfaces)
• Practical expertise in hardware bring‑up, debug, test and verification.
• Ability to interpret and derive hardware designs from system‑level requirements.
• Strong understanding of Design for EMC/EMI in demanding environments.
• Experience integrating hardware, firmware and software into working platforms.
• Comfortable working within a structured hardware development lifecycle and configuration‑controlled environment.

Valuable (but not essential):

• Experience in EW, radar, sensors or other complex defence systems.
• Background in automotive, medical, aerospace or high‑reliability industrial electronics.
• Experience with low‑noise analogue design, power supplies or signal integrity.
• Use of model‑driven engineering approaches (e.g. MATLAB / Simulink).

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 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 - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid