Embedded Software Engineer Location:

Commutable to Herford, 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 early in your embedded software career and keen to build skills on real hardware? Want hands-on experience with ESP32, Raspberry Pi, and ARM microcontrollers, supporting mission-critical work in National Security & Defence?

Join a supportive engineering team building practical, user-focused tools with clear operational value. You’ll contribute to real deployments while being coached by experienced engineers.

What You’ll Do

• Support development of bespoke software on embedded platforms (ESP32, Raspberry Pi, ARM-based boards).
• Write and maintain C, C++ and/or Python code with guidance and peer review.
• Assist with hardware interfacing (UART/serial, GPIO, USB, SPI/I2C) and peripheral bring-up.
• Participate in testing and debugging in the lab and on customer sites (with support).
• Contribute to refining requirements and implementing features as part of a delivery team.
• Help with integration and deployment into secure environments under supervision.
• Maintain documentation and follow traceable, peer-reviewed Git practices aligned with repository governance.

What You’ll Bring Essential:

• Hands-on programming experience (academic, hobbyist, internship, or professional).
• Working knowledge of C/C++ and/or Python.
• Interest or experience in embedded systems development.
• Basic understanding of hardware interfaces (serial, GPIO, SPI/I2C, etc.).
• Familiarity with Linux environments and debugging fundamentals.
• A practical problem-solving mindset and willingness to learn.

Desirable:

• Exposure to microcontrollers or SBCs (ESP32, STM32, Raspberry Pi, etc.).
• Awareness of wireless/comms (BLE, Wi-Fi, UWB, etc.).
• Exposure to RTOS or bare-metal development.
• Interest in Embedded Rust.
• Interest in secure systems, cryptography, or defence-related engineering.

Education & Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, or similar preferred (or equivalent experience).

• Professional membership (BCS, IET) is a plus.Clearance Requirements:

• Clearance to Start: SC

• Clearance for Role: DV

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 empowerspeople from every background to be themselves and gives you the tools to learn new skills byenabling 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:

£47,600.00-£61,000.00

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.