The Opportunity

Leonardo has a fantastic opportunity for a Digital Design Engineer for delivery of an Inter-Vehicle Data Link communications system. We are looking for an engineer with digital design experience familiar with working on complex electronic (ideally RF communication based) sensor systems.
The role will focus on the electronics design of digital subsystems interfacing with RF and control subsystems to be implemented on laboratory and aircraft concept demonstrators in later stages of the project.
You will provide technical support throughout the product lifecycle including design implementation, integration and test, system trials and product delivery.
You will be part of the Leonardo Airborne Communications product development group within the Integrated Sensing & Protection line of business interacting with partner organisations / sub-contractors and potential customers.

The Role has been deemed Inside IR35 and is paying up to 65 per hour through an Umbrella, the role is 90% on site working at Leonardos Sothampton site.

What you will do:

 You will be responsible for delivery of work packages focused on digital electronics, covering the inter-vehicle data link design, system test and integration.

Creating a number of boards to support AESA antennas, some of which require digital design predominantly to support control of the boards.

Supporting microcontroller design on mixed RF/Digital designs

Supporting dedicated ECAD engineers providing PCB layout services

Creating additional designs to support RF over fibre modules, fibre Ethernet interfaces or other external interfaces

Working closely with antenna design team at our Bristol site

What we are looking for:

You really must have:

Design experience of printed circuit board assemblies, including initial design, schematic entry, generation of supporting design documentation, and support to PCB layout engineer.

Experience pf providing support to embedded software and firmware teams, peer reviewing designs, and support to system architects / system integration.

Practical design experience including good engineering laboratory work, PCBA bring-up, fault-finding and generation of test reports.

A good working knowledge of signal & power integrity, EMC at the PCB and equipment level, and equipment grounding best practices.

Ability to produce concise technical reports detailing design solutions and implementation.

Ability to understand and follow the business practices, such as design reviews, which come with working in a high technology defence environment.

Degree in relevant engineering or related scientific discipline (Electronics Engineering or Physics preferred).

Ability to make technical decisions within own sphere of responsibility.

Design activities will include:

Mixed-technology (digital / analogue & RF) PCBA designs comprising one or more MCU, CPLD and FPGA devices interfacing with RF components.

Digital interface PCBAs including standard interfaces such as Ethernet / CAN / I2C / SPI / RS422 as well as optical fibre interfaces (Ethernet / discrete digital links)

Power and control boards requiring high safety rating & design for DO-160 qualification

It would be nice if you had:

Working knowledge of requirements management within DOORS

Experience of designing to meet DO-254

Prior use of Mentor (Siemens EDA) Designer and LTSpice

Knowledge / experience of analogue and RF design.

Experience in system level and sub-system integration and debug.

Experience of working in the defence electronics sector.

Experience of working with UK MOD (e.g. RAF, DSTL, DE&S)

An understanding of the deployment of airborne military platforms, systems and operation within the enterprise environment.

The nature of the programmes involving electronics design requires you to be capable of achieving full UK SC security clearance and in addition, you will require the ability to access caveated information such as UK Eyes Only and ITAR.