Principal FPGA Engineer

Gattaca; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Enhanced pension

Life assurance

Flexible working arrangements

Career progression

Security clearance allowance

Job summary

Gattaca seeks a Principal FPGA Engineer to drive FPGA and firmware architecture for high-assurance embedded systems in the UK. You will own design, integration and verification across the lifecycle, collaborating with systems, hardware and software specialists to deliver secure, high-performance solutions.

The role blends hands-on technical work with mentoring, leading reviews and shaping technical direction for complex programmes that require stringent quality and security standards.

Qualifications

• Proven expertise across the complete FPGA/Firmware development lifecycle.
• Experience with FPGA technologies such as Xilinx, Intel (Altera), Lattice or Microchip/Microsemi.
• Strong understanding of FPGA verification methodologies and tool flows.
• Experience with synchronous and asynchronous digital designs.
• Ability to interpret hardware schematics and interface specifications.
• Knowledge of SPI, I2C, UART/USART, TCP/IP and UDP communications.
• Experience with version control, change management and defect tracking tools.
• Strong systems thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to lead and influence technical teams.
• Defence, aerospace, national security or other highly regulated engineering environments.
• Secure communications, cryptographic or high-assurance systems.
• Digital electronics and logic design.
• Continuous Integration and automated test environments.
• Requirements management and systems engineering tools.
• Exposure to structured engineering frameworks and lifecycle methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead FPGA architecture, design, development and verification activities across the full engineering lifecycle.
• Derive robust firmware requirements from system-level specifications.
• Create high-quality FPGA designs using industry best practices.
• Produce technical documentation, specifications and design artefacts.
• Drive requirement traceability, verification and validation activities.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and guidance to engineering teams.
• Chair technical reviews and contribute to critical design decisions.
• Support project planning, estimation and risk management activities.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and engineering excellence.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver complex programmes.

Skills

FPGA lifecycle

FPGA technologies

FPGA verification methodologies

Digital design

Schematic interpretation

Communications protocols

Version control & defect tracking

Systems thinking

Technical leadership

Regulated environments

Secure communications

CI and automated tests

Requirements management

Engineering frameworks

Job description

Are you an FPGA expert looking to make a genuine impact on projects where performance, security and reliability are mission-critical?

Our client, a leading organisation operating within the secure technology and advanced engineering sector, is seeking a Principal FPGA Engineer to play a pivotal role in the development of next-generation high-assurance systems. This is an opportunity to work at the cutting edge of FPGA design, leading technical delivery across complex programmes that support some of the UK's most demanding and technologically advanced environments.

This position offers the chance to influence product architecture from concept through to deployment while providing technical leadership to highly skilled engineering teams.

The Opportunity

As a Principal FPGA Engineer, you will take ownership of FPGA and firmware architecture, design, integration and verification activities across sophisticated embedded systems.

Working alongside systems, hardware and software specialists, you will help shape technical direction, solve complex engineering challenges and ensure solutions are delivered to the highest standards of quality, performance and security.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced FPGA professional who enjoys both hands‑on technical work and mentoring others within a collaborative engineering environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead FPGA architecture, design, development and verification activities across the full engineering lifecycle.
• Derive robust firmware requirements from system-level specifications.
• Create high-quality FPGA designs using industry best practices.
• Produce technical documentation, specifications and design artefacts.
• Drive requirement traceability, verification and validation activities.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and guidance to engineering teams.
• Chair technical reviews and contribute to critical design decisions.
• Support project planning, estimation and risk management activities.
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and engineering excellence.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver complex programmes.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven expertise across the complete FPGA/Firmware development lifecycle.
• Experience working with FPGA technologies such as Xilinx, Intel (Altera), Lattice or Microchip/Microsemi.
• Strong understanding of FPGA verification methodologies and tool flows.
• Experience with synchronous and asynchronous digital designs.
• Ability to interpret hardware schematics and interface specifications.
• Knowledge of communications protocols including SPI, I²C, UART/USART, TCP/IP and UDP
• Experience with version control, change management and defect tracking tools.
• Strong systems thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to lead and influence technical teams.
• Defence, aerospace, national security or other highly regulated engineering environments.
• Secure communications, cryptographic or high-assurance systems.
• Digital electronics and logic design.
• Continuous Integration and automated test environments.
• Requirements management and systems engineering tools.
• Exposure to structured engineering frameworks and lifecycle methodologies.

Why Apply?

This is more than just another FPGA position.

You'll be joining an organisation working on technologically challenging projects where innovation, security and engineering excellence sit at the heart of everything they do.

Alongside technically stimulating work, you'll benefit from:

• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced pension contribution
• Life assurance
• Flexible working arrangements
• Career progression and technical leadership opportunities
• Security clearance allowance (where applicable)

Security Requirements

Due to the nature of the work, applicants must be eligible to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) Security Clearance.

Typically, this will require:

• Long-term UK residency
• Ability to satisfy security vetting requirements

Please note: This advertisement has been posted on behalf of our client. Company details have been intentionally withheld at this stage of the recruitment process.