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