Summary of job: This position is based within the Research and Development (R&D) department and reports to the Surface Analysis Group Manager. As a Surface Analysis Firmware Engineer, you will play a key role in the design and development of low-level software that drives the functionality of advanced scientific instruments and systems. Your expertise will be essential in optimizing system performance through close collaboration with both hardware and software engineering teams. Key responsibilities include: Developing efficient, reliable firmware to support complex hardware interactions Debugging and resolving issues to hardware-software integration Contributing to the overall hardware-software architectural design and strategy Responsibilities: Responsible to the Surface Analysis R&D Group Manager for: Design and development of new firmware code. Optimising firmware code for performance and resource utilisation. Peer review of completed firmware code. Support of existing systems through investigation and resolving of problems relating to firmware functionality and interaction. Developing and executing test plans for firmware, including system integration testing. Designing, implementing and testing firmware for embedded systems, FPGAs, SoCs and PLDs. Investigate Design Change Requests (DCR) to ascertain work functions required and forecast effective work completion dates. Raising Manufacturing Change Notes (MCN) for design changes and enhancements in accordance with DCR procedures. Definition of firmware requirements for a given system by close partnership with project stakeholders. Peer review of supporting project documentation including Verification Reports and other R&D documents. Conform to and practice work procedures in line with all Kratos released processes and systems. Suggestion of modification of business systems that may benefit business and engineering activities. Member of engineering body responsible for completing verification and validation tests for changes to systems, including but not limited to engineering workflow systems, software applications and their release versions and file management systems and their versions, business process and their versions. Qualifications (E/D): Bachelors (BSc) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or specified experience with firmware development, relevant tools and environments (E) Experience (E/D): Design of both digital and analogue electronics, specifically FPGA design. (D) Full firmware/programmable logic product development cycle, including simulation, design verification and design for manufacture. (e.g. Xilinx ISE/Vivado workflow, ModelSim, ActiveHDL). (E) DSP, Xilinx, Rust, SQL, high-speed VHDL. Experience of communications protocols (e.g. USB, Ethernet, EtherCAT). (E) Experience working with microcontrollers such as BareMetal, RTOS, FPGA, SOC, SOM, VHDL, Verilog. (E) Development of Windows drivers. (E) Knowledge and experience or programming languages C, C++. (E) GIT Version Control. (D) Experience with scripting tool e.g. Bash, python, TCL. (D) Job Related Aptitude and Skills (E/D): Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills. (D) Familiarity with hardware components and their interaction with firmware. (D) Effective communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams. (D)