FPGA Engineer

Quantum Dice; Oxford; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Quantum Dice, based in Oxford, UK, seeks a senior FPGA engineer to translate probabilistic models into high-performance RTL and integrate with analogue front ends.

You will design from scratch in VHDL/Verilog, work with PS/PL architectures, and ensure timing closure across clock domains. Strong HDL, lab debug, and FPGA toolchain experience are essential.

This role offers collaboration with academia and industry, tackling real-world probabilistic computing and ASIC-tapeout preparation.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on FPGA digital design experience with high-speed systems.
• Strong HDL coding proficiency and a track record of custom RTL from scratch.
• Practical understanding of PS/PL architectures and bare-metal C/C++ for configuring PL peripherals.

Responsibilities

• Translate probabilistic models into highly pipelined, resource-efficient FPGA RTL.
• Design and implement custom digital logic using VHDL where vendor IP is insufficient.
• Integrate high-speed I/O, ADCs, PCIe, and Ethernet with FPGA platforms.
• Collaborate on high-level system architecture with HW/SW teams and ASIC architects.
• Develop testbenches and lab bring-up procedures for hardware verification.
• Analyse and optimise performance, timing closure, power, and resource usage across clock domains.

Skills

HDL coding

Zynq/PS-PL

Fixed-point arithmetic

Clock domain crossing

Lab debugging

Vivado/Vitis

Bare-metal C/C++

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related

Tools

Xilinx Vivado

Xilinx Vitis

TCL scripting

JTAG debugging

Job description

Responsibilities

• Algorithm implementation: Translate complex probabilistic algorithms from high-level models, such as pseudocode/Python/C++/MATLAB, into highly pipelined, resource-efficient FPGA RTL.
• RTL design from scratch: Design and implement custom digital logic using VHDL where off-the-shelf vendor IPs are insufficient, bottlenecked, or introduce latency.
• High-speed I/O integration: architect data acquisition pipelines interfacing with the analogue front end via ultra-fast ADCs and high-speed transceivers, as well as interfacing to high-throughput computer host architectures via PCIe and high-speed Ethernet.
• System architecture: Work closely with hardware and software engineers, the research team, and ASIC architects to develop the high-level system architecture.
• Verification & bring-up: Develop rigorous testbenches and simulations to ensure compliance with functional and timing requirements. Participate in lab bring-up and debugging of physical hardware.
• Optimisation: Use advanced debugging tools and techniques to analyse and optimise performance, timing closure, power consumption, and resource utilisation across multiple clock domains.

Requirements

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in FPGA digital design, including designing and debugging resource-intensive high-speed digital systems.
• Expertise in HDL: Strong proficiency in HDL coding, and a proven track record of writing custom RTL from scratch.
• PS/Embedded development knowledge: Practical understanding of processor-side development for FPGA SoC platforms, particularly Zynq or similar PS/PL architectures. Being comfortable writing or reviewing bare-metal C/C++ to configure PL peripherals through AXI registers, moving data between PS and PL.
• Math to hardware: Proven ability to translate complex mathematical models into hardware accelerators, including bit-accurate system modelling and fixed-point arithmetic.
• Digital design fundamentals: Solid understanding of advanced digital design concepts, including timing closure for highly utilised designs and clock domain crossing (CDC).
• Toolchains: Deep experience with design and verification tools such as Xilinx Vivado, Vitis, and TCL scripting.
• Lab/debug skills: Familiarity with hardware debugging tools, such as JTAG debuggers, oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers, signal generators, and logic analysers, and lab bring-up of custom boards.

What makes you stand out

• Synchronised FPGA interconnect network within a scalable cluster approach.
• Demonstrated experience with implementing stochastic problems, optimisation algorithms, neural network, or artificial intelligence / machine learning algorithms into hardware.
• Direct experience with the ASIC design flow: act as the critical bridge towards custom silicon by prototyping, emulating, and validating our probabilistic computing architectures on FPGA platforms prior to ASIC tape-out.
• Experience designing highly optimised, low-latency computing architectures, such as high-frequency trading, custom digital signal processing, or high-performance computing

Why join us?

• It's an exciting time to work in probabilistic computing and you’ll be defining the libraries for an entirely new class of computer.
• We maintain strong ties to the University of Oxford, offering a vibrant intellectual environment and access to world-leading experts.
• Our technology targets critical real-world sectors, including logistics, drug discovery, and climate modeling.
• We are a diverse team of passionate thinkers meeting builders. We value curiosity, transparency and a good sense of humour.

Quantum Dice is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.