Digital Design Engineer

JR United Kingdom; Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Design Engineer to join their innovative team, responsible for ASIC and SoC development. You will engage in the full lifecycle of IP development, collaborate with architects, and mentor junior engineers while utilizing advanced technologies to solve complex challenges in digital design. Ideal candidates possess a relevant degree and extensive experience in IP design.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in digital design and IP/SoC development.
• Expertise in IP design, verification, and implementation.
• Understanding of low power design methodology (UPF/CPF).

Responsibilities

• Design and implement RTL IP blocks for SoCs.
• Collaborate with SoC architects on project requirements.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers.

Skills

IP design

RTL synthesis

Digital design concepts

Power management

Problem-solving

Technical guidance

Communication

Education

Degree/Masters or PhD in Electrical Engineering

Degree in Computer Science

Tools

Tcl

Perl

Python

SystemC

Linux software frameworks

Job description

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Are you ready to take the next step in your career and contribute to cutting-edge ASIC and IP/SoC development? We are looking for an experienced Design Engineer to join our team in either Theale or Bristol. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a talented team on high-impact projects, pushing the boundaries of digital design in a collaborative and fast-paced environment.

As a key technical contributor, you will work closely with ASIC engineering management to define and implement digital IP/SoC designs, and integrate these with third-party designs into customer ASICs and SoCs. You’ll be part of a multi-site development team, ensuring the delivery of high-quality designs that meet customer requirements and solving complex technical challenges.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design & Implementation: Specify, micro-architect, implement, and perform design verification for complex RTL IP blocks, from basic SoC building blocks to advanced video processing and encoding/decoding logic.
• IP Development Cycle: Take part in the full lifecycle of IP development—from customer concept to backend layout and silicon validation.
• Collaboration: Work closely with SoC architects to ensure designs align with project requirements and integrate seamlessly with the rest of the SoC.
• Technical Guidance: Provide technical advice and solutions to design, verification, physical design, silicon validation, and production test teams.
• Customer & Team Engagement: Analyse customer requirements and implement functional digital designs and integration flows for complex SoCs. Provide support for customer-facing technical discussions.
• Tool & Script Development: Develop, maintain, and deploy proprietary scripts and tools for ASIC/SoC design and database management. Leverage industry-leading EDA tools for design quality assurance, power optimisation, and synthesis/timing analysis.
• Continuous Learning: Stay up-to-date with the latest advances in engineering technologies and methodologies to maintain our competitive edge.
• Mentorship: Coach junior engineers and support them in all aspects of design activities, including coding, synthesis, debug, DFT, and backend integration.
• Technical Publications: Contribute to technical white papers, and provide sales support as part of a collaborative team.

Key Relationships:

• Internal: Collaborate with Engineers, Senior Engineers, Principal Engineers, Project Managers, Sales, Finance, and HR teams.
• External: Technical communication with customers (minimal), and liaising with EDA Tool Vendors, Foundries, and Assembly Houses.

What We're Looking For:

Qualifications:

• Degree/Masters or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Typically, 5+ years of relevant experience in digital design and IP/SoC development.
• A Masters or PhD in a related subject with practical experience of 5+ years.

Skills & Experience:

• Expertise in IP design, implementation, and verification.
• Strong knowledge of RTL synthesis, performance, and power analysis.
• In-depth understanding of digital design concepts and problem-solving capabilities.
• System design knowledge, including clock domain management, reset schemes, and power management.
• Experience with SoC level verification (HW/SW co-verification, multi-mode simulation, gate-level simulation).
• Experience with design checking tools (Lint, CDC, LEC).
• Strong communication skills and ability to provide technical guidance to junior engineers.
• Familiarity with ARM processor subsystems, video processing, bus protocols (AXI/AHB/ACE).
• Experience with low power design methodology (UPF/CPF) and synthesis/timing analysis.
• Experience with Tcl, Perl, Python, SystemC, IPXACT, and database management.
• Familiarity with Linux software frameworks.

Attributes:

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities.
• Excellent attention to detail and time management skills.
• A fast learner who thrives in a dynamic, collaborative environment.