Senior​/Principal Firmware Engineer​/Firmware Architect

Senior/Principal Firmware Engineer/Firmware Architect

Thales – Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Our central Firmware team provides integral support across several of our internal business domains, delivering critical strategic, requirement and delivery activities. The portfolio spans Aerospace/Avionics, Optronics, Intelligence, Communication and Underwater Systems.

We are recruiting a Senior/Principal Firmware Engineer/Firmware Architect to join us and become a key part of a team with a proven track record for delivering firmware across our development programmes at Belfast.

• Architecture, requirements specification, design, verification and validation.
• Working with systems, software and hardware engineers to develop electronic systems.
• Using industry‑class development tools for FPGA and SoC hardware technologies, following a structured firmware design process.

The role holder reports to the Firmware Capability Lead.

• Lead firmware teams to deliver projects on time, within budget and to agreed quality.
• Verify firmware using Hardware Verification Languages or Hardware Description languages.
• Design firmware using Hardware Description Languages.
• Enhance firmware‐related processes (documentation, scripting, reporting, process automation).
• Work closely with multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Manage work packages for firmware projects.

Relevant degree (BEng, MEng, EngD, PhD) in electronics or equivalent. Membership or fellowship of a professional engineering body, preferably with or working towards chartered status, is advantageous.

• Verification test bench architecture with System Verilog or C++.
• Verification methodology: advanced VHDL verification or OSVVM/UVVM.
• Requirements management using IBM Rationale DOORS.
• Simulation using Mentor Graphics Modelsim/Questa Sim.
• Digital electronic design in hardware development languages: VHDL and either Verilog or System Verilog.
• Implementation of complex designs using vendor‑specific development tools.
• Image processing techniques and algorithms.
• Algorithm development using MATLAB.

This role requires SC Clearance. It is advantageous to already hold it, but if not, the successful applicant must obtain, maintain and renew SC Clearance. For guidance, please visit the UKSV website and the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency portal

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Engineering and Information Technology

Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing and Defense and Space Manufacturing