Firmware Architect

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Firmware Architect
Belfast – Hybrid

Our central Firmware team provides integral support across several of our internal business domains, providing critical strategic, requirement and delivery activities. The central Firmware capability provides opportunity to work on diverse portfolio of projects, these domains vary and can cover Aerospace/Avionics, Optronics, Intelligence, Communication and Underwater System.

We are recruiting for a Principal Firmware Engineer/Firmware Architect to join us and become a key part of a team with a proven track record for delivering firmware. This role will be responsible for Firmware across our development programmes at Belfast.

Typical Firmware services provide include:

• Architecture, requirements specification, design, verification and validation.
• Working in conjunction with systems, software and hardware engineers to develop electronic systems.
• Projects involve using the latest industry class development tools for FPGA and SoC hardware technologies. Work is carried out to a structured firmware design process.

The role holder reports to the Firmware Capability Lead.

Key responsibilities

As a Firmware Architect you will be responsible for:

• Leading firmware teams to deliver firmware projects to agreed time, cost and quality
• Architect firmware designs to promote re-useable firmware development.
• Verifying firmware using Hardware Verification Languages or Hardware Description languages
• Designing firmware using Hardware Description Languages
• Enhancement of firmware related processes (documenting, scripting, reporting, process automation)
• Working closely with multi-disciplinary teams
• Work package management of firmware projects

Desired knowledge, qualifications and experience

We are looking for the successful candidate to hold s relevant degree (BEng, MEng, EngD, PhD) in electronics or equivalent. Additional membership or fellowship of a professional engineering body preferably with or working towards chartered status would be advantageous and supported

Specialisation/knowledge in some of the following:

• Verification Test bench architecture with System Verilog or C++
• Verification Methodology: Advanced VHDL verification or OSVVM/UVVM
• Requirements Management: IBM Rationale DOORS
• Simulation of designs using simulator tool: Mentor Graphics Modelsim/Questasim
• Digital electronic design in hardware development languages: VHDL and either Verilog or System Verilog
• Implementation of complex designs using any vendor specific development tools
• Object Orientated design Techniques
• Image processing techniques and algorithms
• Algorithm development using development tool: MatLab
• Linux development environments

Security Clearance Statement

This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance.  Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What we can offer

We are committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you’ll have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Our packages will include significant bonus, a strong pension contribute, private healthcare, development focused targets and relocation support can be provided if required along with a variety of learning, development and career enhancement opportunities. Further support can be provided towards academic and membership attainments.

#LI-CL1

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!