FPGA Engineering Manager

MBDA; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 66,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense organization in Stevenage is seeking an experienced FPGA Engineering Manager to lead their engineering team. This role involves driving technical excellence and project execution for FPGA solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in FPGA design and management, with a focus on innovation and teamwork. A competitive salary of up to £78,000 is offered along with various benefits including bonuses and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Bonus of up to 21% of base salary

Pension contributions up to 14%

Flexible working arrangements

Enhanced parental leave

Subsidised meals and free parking

Qualifications

• 10+ years of FPGA or digital hardware design experience, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record delivering complex FPGA systems from concept to production.
• Strong experience with RTL design, simulation, and synthesis.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of FPGA engineers.
• Oversee architecture, design, and implementation of FPGA solutions.
• Own FPGA project execution from concept to production release.

Skills

Leadership

FPGA design expertise

Communication

Problem-solving

Project management

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Electronic Engineering or related field

Tools

VHDL

Verilog

SystemVerilog

FPGA toolchains

Job description

Are you an experiencedFPGA Engineering Manager, an inspirational Leader passionate about people who enjoys contributing to developing and enhancing future capabilities? Look no further! Join our ambitious FPGA Engineering Team at MBDA and be part of a company that is at the forefront of innovation and play a major role in shaping its future.

Salary: Up to £78,000 depending on experience

Locations: Stevenage (we may be able to offer a relocation package for this role)

Dynamic (hybrid) working: 3-4 days per week on-site. We are also open to compressed hours in this role.

Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship.

Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

• Company bonus:Bonus of up to 21% of base salary
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Flexible working:We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced parental leave:offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave. Enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments.
• Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more.

The Opportunity:

Our Electronic Engineering Function is rapidly growing!

We are seeking an exceptional FPGA Engineering Manager to lead a high-performing team in developing cutting-edge FPGA-based solutions. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in FPGA design and architecture with outstanding leadership, mentorship, and organizational skills. This role requires someone who can drive technical excellence, scale team capabilities, and deliver world-class products on schedule.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Management

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of FPGA and digital design engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and accountability.
• Drive team performance through clear goal setting, technical guidance, and continuous feedback.
• Collaborate closely with systems, software, hardware, and verification teams to define requirements and deliver integrated solutions.
• Recruit and develop top engineering talent, balancing technical depth with organizational scalability.
• Champion best practices in design methodology, verification, and documentation.

Technical Ownership

• Oversee and contribute to the architecture, design, and implementation of FPGA solutions for high-performance, low-latency, or high-throughput systems.
• Provide technical direction for RTL design (VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog), simulation, timing closure, and hardware validation.
• Define and enforce design standards, IP reuse strategies, and verification methodologies.
• Ensure design meets performance, power, area, and reliability targets.
• Work closely with system architects on partitioning between FPGA, ASIC, and software.
• Stay abreast of FPGA technology roadmaps (Xilinx, Intel/Altera, Lattice, etc.) and advise on strategic direction.

Project Delivery

• Own FPGA project execution-from concept to production release.
• Drive planning, estimation, and scheduling of FPGA deliverables.
• Track progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with program management and stakeholders to ensure timely and high-quality delivery.

What we're looking for from you:

• BS/MS/PhD in Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of FPGA or digital hardware design experience, with at least 3-5 years in a technical leadership or management role.
• Proven track record delivering complex FPGA systems from concept to production.
• Strong experience with RTL design, simulation, synthesis, timing analysis
• Deep understanding of high-speed interfaces, digital signal processing (DSP), control logic design and Image Processing.
• Strong grasp of hardware-software co-design and embedded system integration.
• Excellent knowledge of FPGA toolchains
• Solid understanding of verification methodologies and familiarity with test automation
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, foster innovation, and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience in data center, telecommunications, aerospace/defense, or high-performance computing domains.
• Exposure to hardware security, functional safety, or DO-254 compliant design.
• Knowledge of scripting and automation.
• Strong background in system architecture and performance optimization.

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic thinker with hands-on technical depth.
• Inspires confidence and credibility among engineers and executives alike.
• Strong problem-solver who thrives in fast-paced, high-ambiguity environments.
• Passionate about mentoring, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Balances innovation with disciplined execution.

Please note:Some of our roles require an elevated level of security clearance. Candidates may be required to undertake DV (Developed Vetting) in order to successfully deliver the role.

Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

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