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Leonardo

Graduate Firmware / FPGA Engineer

On site

Edinburgh, United kingdom

Junior

Full Time

17-01-2026

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Skills

Communication Ethical Hacking Test Problem-solving Research Training Coaching Embedded Systems VHDL Sensor Systems Mathematics

Job Specifications

Job Description

Graduate Firmware/FPGA Engineer

Your impact

Are you ready to launch your career and make an impact on real-world projects from day one?

At Leonardo, we’re looking for graduates who want to be part of something bigger—shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. Joining the Leonardo Graduate Scheme is the opportunity to be part of the next generation of our business.

You will be provided with a wealth of development opportunities in both virtual and applied working environments. On our programme you will engage with challenging and exciting project work and deliver innovative business or technical solutions as part of a team of subject matter experts. Throughout the programme you will receive coaching and support from your team to achieve your objectives as well as your personal development goals. We are committed to developing our graduates into leading technical professionals, and as such we will also support you through your preferred route for chartership.

Our 18-month Graduate Programme gives you the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects alongside subject matter experts. On joining, you will receive a starting salary of £34,000 per annum, plus a £1,000 welcome bonus. You’ll also be eligible for a £1,000 exit bonus upon successful completion of the programme. In addition, you may be eligible for a Temporary Accommodation Allowance (TAA), subject to specific criteria.

You will be expected to spend at least three or four days each week on site, to integrate with your team and maximise your learning experience by designing, testing or integrating hardware on the Edinburgh site.

During the programme, you will

Be encouraged to gain experience of all aspects of the development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, implementation, integration, applied research and test.
Closely liaise with engineers from other disciplines, such as Systems, Software and Mechanical. Opportunities may also arise to interface with customers and end users.

As a Graduate Electronics Engineer you will

Work on the design, development, and verification of firmware and digital systems using FPGAs, which are central to our advanced electronic systems
Collaborate on the development of high-performance digital signal processing solutions and real-time systems for a variety of avionic sensor systems
Learn to write efficient, reliable, and maintainable code using hardware description languages (HDLs) such as VHDL
Gain experience in simulation, debugging, and testing your designs in laboratory environments, ensuring optimal performance in demanding environments, optimising firmware designs to improve performance, efficiency, and reliability
Design, implement, and verify FPGA firmware for complex embedded systems, ensuring adherence to performance and safety requirements
Document and present design solutions and progress to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Collaborate with Software, Electronics and Systems engineers to ensure smooth integration of firmware components
Develop test plans and simulation environments to verify designs meet functional and timing requirements
Contribute to technical reviews. Your role may even take you across the UK or abroad for technical reviews.
Support continuous improvement initiatives for hardware design processes and methodologies

What You’ll Bring Entry Requirements

We are looking for graduates who are enthusiastic about hardware design and eager to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Minimum of a 2 2 Bachelor’s, Integrated Masters degree, or higher degree (MSc or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, or a related discipline.
For the Graduate Firmware Engineer role, the preferred degrees are Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Information and Communication Engineering, Computer Communication and Networks, Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures, Cyber Security, Mathematics, Communications Engineering
A strong interest in firmware and FPGA development. Basic familiarity with hardware description languages (HDLs) such as VHDL is desirable but not required as training will be provided
Strong problem-solving abilities, with excellent communication skills and a desire to work collaboratively in a team. A proactive approach to learning new technologies is crucial

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, key contributors in shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

We

About the Company

Leonardo is a global security company that realises multi-domain technological capabilities in AD&S. With over 53,000 employees worldwide, the company has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the UK, Poland, and the US. It also has a commercial presence in 150 countries through subsidiaries, joint ventures and investments. A key player in major international strategic programmes, it is a technological and industrial partner of governments, defence administrations, institutions and companies. In 2023, Leonardo reco... Know more