General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of more than 13,000 top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defence and scientific arenas. In the UK, we are leading the way in avionics and communication systems. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency.
General Dynamics in St Leonards-on-Sea currently provide avionic mission computing systems for a wide range of military fast jets, helicopters, and UAV’s. Recent success has resulted in General Dynamics developing the next generation of Advanced High Performance, Safety Critical Mission Computer Systems to meet the needs of latest platforms in development by several aircraft manufacturers. These Mission Computing Systems provide the functionality that integrates aircraft systems, sensor systems and stores management systems with the information and control systems required by the aircrew to meet the demanding operational needs of these aircraft.
Job DescriptionWe are hiring talented Junior Firmware Engineers to help develop the next generation of avionics systems.
As a Junior Firmware Engineer, you will be assigned to one of our avionic systems development teams using a variety of design tools and languages across the development life cycle.
You will undertake a range of activities, including:
- Firmware development and verification, primarily VHDL using latest generation of FPGAs
- Participate in internal and external firmware design reviews throughout the development life-cycle
For the full job description please click here
QualificationsTo apply for these entry level Firmware Engineer roles, you will need degree-level education in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics or Hardware engineering.
Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate:
- Experience of FPGA design and implementation for simple functions
- Knowledge of VHDL
- Understanding of the benefit of the use of simulation tools and test benches
- General understanding of digital hardware design principles
Professional registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng, IET or equivalent) is desirable, but not essential. We actively support employees in attaining professional registration status.
Additional InformationThese full-time roles are based in Hastings and offers an attractive starting salary of up to £33,000 and our excellent flexible benefits package.
We pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose, offering impressive benefits:
- A compressed nine-day fortnight and compressed hours - which means every other Friday off.
- A personalized career development plan, alongside regular progress reviews - supporting and valuing your progression within the Company.
- A flexible working environment where your contributions are recognized and rewarded with flexible benefits
We believe in maintaining a diverse workplace - inclusive of beliefs, cultural background, job experiences, thoughts and ideas. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we welcome you to join our inclusive team!
Our success is fuelled by our colleagues and the wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills they bring to the Company.
We are a Disability Confident Employer, as such we offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job.
Please email [email protected] if you would like your application to be considered under the DC Scheme.
All successful/appointed applicants must be able to obtain a level of UK Security clearance that is appropriate for the role and undertake suitable Right to work checks.
Every application matters to us. We want you to know that each application we receive is reviewed by a real person—not just an algorithm. Our screening questions are also carefully considered to help us understand your experience and fit for the role.
We appreciate the time you take to apply.
Skills Required
- Degree-level education in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics, or Hardware Engineering
- Experience of FPGA design and implementation for simple functions
- Knowledge of VHDL
- Understanding of simulation tools and test benches
- General understanding of digital hardware design principles
- Ability to obtain appropriate UK security clearance and pass right-to-work checks
- Professional registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng, IET or equivalent)
General Dynamics Mission Systems Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about General Dynamics Mission Systems and has not been reviewed or approved by General Dynamics Mission Systems.
-
Retirement Support — Retirement benefits stand out with immediate 401(k) vesting and a dollar-for-dollar match up to 6% of pay, which is repeatedly positioned as a key strength of the total rewards package.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are described as robust, including seeded PTO for new hires, a bank of holidays, and multiple leave types such as bereavement, jury duty, and military leave.
-
Flexible Benefits — Schedule and work-setup flexibility is emphasized through options like a 9/80 arrangement and remote/hybrid availability in some roles, often treated as an important part of overall rewards.
General Dynamics Mission Systems Insights
What We Do
At General Dynamics Mission Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, we develop mission critical C4ISR solutions across the land, sea, air, space and cyber domains, but that doesn’t tell our whole story. When downed pilots are isolated in enemy territory, our equipment gives them a lifeline to call home. When a student opens a textbook to learn about the universe, they’re looking at data and pictures sent using our technology. When the government needs to share crucial top-secret information, our products help them keep this information out of the wrong hands. When sailors need to locate underwater mines, our technology allows them to find explosives with unmanned underwater vehicles. Delivering C4ISR technology is what we do but we think why we do it is more important.








