Job Description

Embedded Software Engineer

Location: 3 days/week in London

Contract Length: 12 Months

Day Rate: £50-65 per hour

Security Clearance: SC Eligible or Active SC Preferred

Start Date: ASAP

Overview

I am seeking an experienced Embedded Software Engineer to support the development of advanced defence radar and surveillance systems for a high-profile programme within the defence sector.

This contract role will focus on real-time embedded software development for radar processing platforms, sensor interfaces, and mission-critical electronic systems. The successful engineer will work closely with systems, FPGA, DSP, and electronics teams to deliver software for complex embedded hardware environments.

Key Responsibilities

Design and develop embedded software in C/C++ for radar and sensor systems

Develop low-level drivers and hardware abstraction layers for custom embedded platforms

Work on real-time software running on ARM-based and DSP-enabled systems

Interface with FPGA teams for high-speed data transfer and hardware control

Support radar signal acquisition, timing, synchronisation, and control functionality

Develop software for communication interfaces including SPI, UART, Ethernet, PCIe, and CAN

Debug complex hardware/software integration issues using JTAG, oscilloscopes, and logic analysers

Participate in system integration, verification, and environmental testing activities

Produce clear technical documentation aligned with defence engineering standards

Required Skills & Experience

Strong commercial experience in embedded software engineering within defence, aerospace, or high-reliability systems

Expert-level C/C++ development skills

Experience with RTOS environments such as VxWorks, FreeRTOS, Integrity, or embedded Linux

Experience working closely with FPGA or DSP teams

Strong understanding of embedded hardware architectures and board bring-up

Experience debugging low-level embedded systems

Familiarity with high-speed communication interfaces and real-time data handling

Experience working within regulated or safety-critical engineering environments

Ability to obtain or hold UK SC clearance

Desirable Experience

Radar systems or sensor-processing experience

Digital signal processing (DSP)

RF systems or electronic warfare knowledge

Experience with Xilinx or Intel FPGA platforms

DO-178C, DEF STAN, or IEC standards exposure

Python scripting or automated test frameworks

CI/CD pipelines and embedded Linux build systems