Principal FPGA Engineer

Ultra; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the cyber security domain is looking for a Firmware Engineer to define, architect, and develop complex FPGA firmware. You will be part of a skilled team, responsible for multiple R&D projects, ensuring high-quality deliverables. The role requires expertise in VHDL and FPGA design, along with the ability to provide technical leadership and innovate within the engineering processes.

Benefits

Annual Bonus

Private Medical Cover

25 days’ holiday with the option to buy an extra 5

Pension Contribution

4 x Life Assurance Cover

Flexible working hours

Monthly Security Clearance Allowance

Qualifications

• Experience in full life cycle firmware development on multiple projects.
• Thorough experience using industry-standard FPGA tools.
• Ability to lead a team in FPGA design and development.

Responsibilities

• Perform requirements analysis and produce robust firmware requirements.
• Produce high-quality firmware designs and documentation.
• Mentor and coach less experienced engineers.

Skills

Firmware Development

VHDL

FPGA Design

Verification

Engineering Design Methodologies

Technical Leadership

Engineering Methods

Communication Protocols

Education

Degree in Engineering, Mathematics or Science

Tools

Xilinx

Lattice

Altera

Microsemi

DOORS

Enterprise Architect

Job description

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Job Description:

Description

Role purpose
Define, architect, design, develop, document and test complex FPGA firmware functions and algorithms within the Cyber UK Business Unit.

Scope
Define, architect, design, develop, document and test FPGA firmware as part of our 20 strong firmware engineering team, within the Cyber UK Business Unit, delivering multiple concurrent research, development and production programmes ranging from tens of £k to several £m.

Responsible for / Key responsibilities

• Perform requirements analysis and requirements derivation to generate understandable, and robust firmware requirements from inbound (user and systems level) requirements. In doing so, provide feedback to the systems team regarding poorly written, ambiguous, or unverifiable inbound requirements.
• Produce high quality and robust Firmware designs and architectures to meet the Firmware requirements and Interface specifications.
• Produce design, development and implementation documentation including specifications, reports and proposals of a quality commensurate with its end use.
• Produce documentation to show requirement traceability including verification methodologies.
• Accurately estimates work of self and others; identifies cost-effective solutions in terms of both development time and materials; delivers predictably and increases team’s ability to do the same.
• Ensure that the Firmware development process is conducted in accordance with the Firmware development plan.
• Requires only general direction to perform effectively; is not subject to supervision or close management.
• Generate inputs required for product level design reviews.
• Reviews and signs off significant technical documents; will often chair technical reviews for significant deliverables.
• Provides specialist knowledge and support to the wider engineering team; recognised as a domain expert inside the company, and possibly with external bodies.
• Mentors and coaches less experienced engineers; shares knowledge willingly and constructively.
• Proposes and champions ideas for improvement that support innovation and make the engineering organisation more efficient.
• Actively look for opportunities to improve processes used in the Firmware development and propose changes. Implementing these changes where appropriate.
• The role may involve line management responsibility.
• Manage security of information as defined in the Security manual.
• Where requested provides feedback on firmware development status and cost to complete to the Project Manager and/or Engineering Project Lead (or equivalent)
• Undertake the role of firmware lead, where requested. In this role, technically manage a team of firmware engineers ensuring they have clear objectives with agreed realisation dates.

Role requirements
Essential:

• Willing and able to obtain, and maintain, SC security clearance.
• Willing and able to obtain, and maintain, DV security clearance.

Qualifications / Skills required
Essential:

• Degree in an engineering, mathematical or science-based subject or equivalent experience.
• Fully Proficient in the full life cycle Firmware development demonstrated on more than one project.
• Fully Proficient in Firmware development using VHDL.
• Has a variety of engineering methods and techniques; applies and adapts these as necessary to create solutions.
• Proven experience with Engineering design methodologies. For example, the ‘V’ Model – Requirements, architecture, detailed design, Implementation, Integration, Test, Validation & Verification.
• Ability to design for synchronous and asynchronous systems. For example, System Synchronous, Source Synchronous and Asynchronous systems.
• Ability to provide technical leadership to a team of Firmware engineers in the design and development of FPGAs.
• Thorough experience of using Xilinx, Lattice, Altera or Microsemi FPGAs and their associated development tool chains.
• Proficient in Verification.
• Good knowledge of FPGA EDA tools and tool flow.
• Proficient in the use of industry standard communications protocols associated with communication interfaces (UARTs, USARTs, SPI, I2C, TCP/IP, UDP).
• Ability to read, interpret and understand hardware schematics.
• Experience of version control, change control and bug tracking tools and systems.

Desirable:

• Experience of/exposure to best practice firmware development processes/lifecycles.
• Experience of/exposure to continuous integration and automated test tools and frameworks.
• Exposure to coding standards for defence, space or air worthiness techniques and standards such as MISRA.
• Experience of DOORS and Enterprise Architect.
• Experience in Digital Electronics and Digital Logic Design.
• Experience in developing military equipment.
• Experience in developing UK High Grade Crypto products.

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Notice

Due to the nature of the programs we deliver for our customers, candidates may need to obtain the relevant security clearance or handle export-controlled material as defined by the role's requirements.

Our Benefits

Every employee is critical to our success, and as such, we offer a range of flexible employee benefits, including:

• Annual Bonus
• Private Medical Cover
• 25 days’ holiday with the option to buy an extra 5
• Pension Contribution
• 4 x Life Assurance Cover
• Flexible working hours with a 1pm finish on a Friday
• Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme, will writing and more
• Monthly Security Clearance Allowance - Subject to you holding the required security clearance

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement