Lead Firmware Engineer

A UK-based engineering company is looking for a Lead Embedded Software Engineer to take ownership of embedded software development for their next generation of products. This is a senior, hands-on role combining technical leadership with deep embedded development, working across the full product lifecycle. The Role You will lead a small team of engineers while remaining hands-on, responsible for: * Embedded C & C++ development across real-time systems * Owning and evolving software architecture * Leading delivery of firmware from concept through to production * Debugging complex system-level issues across hardware and software * Defining and improving development, testing, and release processes This is not a pure management role, you’ll still be heavily involved in solving technical challenges and writing code. What You’ll Be Working On * Real-time systems (RTOS + some bare-metal) * Communication between system components * Performance-critical embedded environments * Systems that are deployed at scale in the real world What They’re Looking For * Strong experience in embedded C & C++ * Proven experience with RTOS and real-time systems * Experience owning or contributing to software architecture * Comfortable working closely with hardware and debugging issues * Previous experience leading or mentoring engineers Nice to Have * Experience improving development processes / DevOps * Exposure to modelling tools (e.g. MATLAB / Simulink) * Interest in modern tooling (e.g. AI-assisted development) Package * Salary circa £80k–£85k * Bonus + pension * Flexible working (including 9-day fortnight) * Hybrid working * Strong engineering culture and product focus