Thales UK provides military customers with operational advantage across land, sea, and air through a range of defence mission system solutions. The company innovates in aerospace, defence, security and space, and offers flexible work arrangements to support employee well‑being.

Team and Role

We are looking for firmware engineers to join our team with a proven track record for delivering firmware for a wide range of defence‑related products.

• Architecture, requirements specification, design, verification and validation.
• Working in conjunction with systems, software and hardware engineers to develop electronic systems.

Projects involve using latest industry‑class development tools for FPGA and SoC hardware technologies. Work is carried out to a structured firmware design process.

The role is based at our Manor Royal site in Crawley, with a mix of on‑site and remote work. Periodic visits to customer sites and integration facilities are required.

As a People‑first employer, we provide development pathways to roles such as Firmware Architect, Firmware Engineering Manager, or a recognised Thales Specialist or Expert.

Each successful candidate will have demonstrable experience of firmware engineering in the defence, transportation, or aerospace domain and will ideally have experience interfacing with external customers as well as internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as part of firmware teams to deliver firmware projects to agreed time, cost and quality.
• Verify firmware using Hardware Verification Languages or Hardware Description Languages.
• Design firmware using Hardware Description Languages.
• Enhance firmware related processes (documenting, scripting, reporting, process automation).
• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams.

Desired Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience

• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• A relevant degree (BEng, MEng, EngD, PhD) in electronics, supported by 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Membership or fellowship of a professional engineering body, preferably chartered or working towards chartered status.

Specialisation / Knowledge Areas

• Leading firmware design/architecture.
• Leading small team of firmware engineers.
• Verification test bench architecture with SystemVerilog or C++.
• Verification methodology: Advanced VHDL verification or OSVVM/UVVM.
• Requirements management: IBM Rational DOORS.
• Simulation of designs using Mentor Graphics ModelSim / QuestaSim.
• Digital electronic design in hardware development languages: VHDL and either Verilog or SystemVerilog.
• Implementation of complex designs using vendor‑specific development tools.
• Technologies: PCIe, Ethernet, Serial Comms, AXI4.
• Object‑oriented design techniques.
• Image processing techniques and algorithms.
• Algorithm development using MATLAB.
• Linux development environments.
• Creation of firmware development plans and other design documentation.

What Will Success Look Like?

• Team player with a can‑do attitude who performs effectively in multidisciplinary teams and promotes inclusiveness and diversity.
• Confident problem‑solver who asks challenging questions and suggests new ideas to add value.
• Self‑starter capable of managing own workload, meeting objectives, and contributing to operational goals.

Security Clearance

Due to the nature of the work, many roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires a UK national and achievement of Security Clearance (SC) without caveats. Existing clearance is advantageous; otherwise the successful applicant must achieve and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment.

UKSV guidance: To be eligible for full SC, residents must have lived in the UK for the last 5 years, with some circumstances allowing 3 years of residence over the last 5 years.

Applicants will provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work, and employment or education history for up to three years.

Inclusive Recruitment

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment process, supporting neuro‑diverse applicants or those with disabilities. Reasonable adjustments can be requested through Resourcing Ops (mid‑to‑senior roles) or the Early Careers Team (graduate and apprentice roles).

Great journeys start here—apply now!