Job Description

Senior Embedded Software Developer

Location: Commutable to Herfordshire, Cheltenham, and Bristol — mostly on-site (4 days/week on customer site, 1 day remote where appropriate)
Clearance: Must be eligible and willing to undergo DV clearance (British Citizen, UK residency last 10 years)

Are you a proven embedded software engineer who thrives on hard problems and real-world constraints? Want to design and deliver operational tooling directly alongside end users in National Security & Defence?

We’re looking for a senior technical contributor who can take ownership of embedded deliveries, guide technical direction, and mentor others—working across ESP32, Raspberry Pi, and ARM platforms.

What You’ll Do

• Lead development of bespoke embedded solutions across multiple platforms.
• Design, implement, and maintain production-quality C, C++ and/or Python code interfacing with hardware.
• Architect solutions involving comms protocols, peripheral integration, and performance/robustness constraints.
• Lead debugging, testing, and optimisation across lab and field environments.
• Shape requirements with stakeholders; propose approaches and influence delivery plans.
• Support integration, configuration, and deployment into secure operational environments.
• Produce high-quality documentation and enforce consistent Git workflows and review standards.
• Mentor junior engineers and raise team capability through coaching and knowledge sharing.

What You’ll Bring

Essential:

• Extensive hands-on embedded software development experience.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ (and/or Python where appropriate).
• Deep experience with embedded systems (ESP32, ARM Cortex, SBCs).
• Strong understanding of low-level interfacing ( UART, GPIO, USB, SPI/I2C).
• Confident in Linux-based development environments and toolchains.
• Strong debugging skills (JTAG/SWD, logic analysers, profiling, etc.) and disciplined engineering practice.
• Ability to communicate clearly and influence technical decisions across teams.

Desirable:

• Experience delivering in secure/defence environments.
• Knowledge of cryptography, secure transport, or secure system design.
• Wireless experience ( Bluetooth, UWB, Wi-Fi).
• USB device drivers / advanced USB comms.
• RTOS / bare-metal expertise.
• Embedded Rust experience or strong interest.

Education & Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant discipline preferred (or equivalent experience).
• Professional membership (BCS, IET) is a plus.

Clearance Requirements:

• Clearance to Start: SC

• Clearance for Role: DV

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What we do for you:
At Leidos we are PASSIONATE about customer success, UNITED as a team and INSPIRED to make a difference. We offer meaningful and engaging careers, a collaborative culture, and support for your career goals, all while nurturing a healthy work-life balance.
We provide an employment package that attracts, develops and retains only the best in talent. Our reward scheme includes:

• Contributory Pension Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• 33 days Annual Leave (including public and privilege holidays)
• Access to Flexible benefits (including life assurance, health schemes, gym memberships, annual buy and sell holidays and a cycle to work scheme)

• Flexi-Time

Commitment to Diversity:

We welcome applications from every part of the community and are committed to a truly diverse and inclusive culture. We foster a sense of belonging, welcoming all perspectives and contributions, and providing equal access to opportunities and resources for everyone. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages please let us know, and we will respond in a way that best fits your needs.

Who We Are:

Leidos UK & EUROPE – we work to make the world safer, healthier, and more efficient through technology, engineering and science.

Leidos is a growing company delivering innovative technology and solutions focused on safeguarding critical capabilities and transformation in frontline services, our work in the United Kingdom includes addressing some of the most complex problems in defence, healthcare, government, safety and security, and transportation.

What Makes Us Different:

Purpose: you can use your passion and abilities at Leidos to keep the people you care about safe. We are at the forefront of machine learning, AI, cyber security and solutions. Using your skills in the technology frontline by helping to build a safer world. You can inspire change.

Collaboration: having flexibility to do your job is one of our core benefits, enabling you to become part of our extraordinary team. We have been empowering our people to work flexibly for years. Whether you work from home, the office or on customer sites, we will give you the digital tools and the flexibility to work smarter and align your needs and ours.

People: Leidos empowers people from every background to be themselves and gives you the tools to learn new skills by enabling growth whilst developing We believe that extraordinary people need opportunities to grow, to be inspired and to inspire others. At Leidos, we invest in technical academies, career rotations and a career development plans that enhance your future.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

£61,500.00-£78,800.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.