Senior FPGA Engineer

Ultra Intelligence & Communications; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Private medical cover

25 days’ holiday

Pension contribution

Life assurance

Flexible working hours

Cycle to work

Security clearance allowance

Job summary

Ultra Intelligence & Communications in Maidenhead, United Kingdom, seeks a firmware engineer focused on FPGA design and development within the Cyber Business unit. You will architect and implement FPGA firmware across multiple programmes, ensuring integration with software and hardware teams while maintaining compliance with security requirements.

The role requires experience with FPGA toolchains, firmware testing, and hardware schematic literacy, along with capability to work under vigilant

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering, mathematics or science-based subject or equivalent experience.
• Experience of FPGA module design and implementation.
• Extensive use of major FPGA families and tool chains (Xilinx, Lattice, Altera or Microsemi).
• Experience with FPGA firmware testing and design for test.
• Ability to read and interpret hardware schematics.
• Experience with version control and change control tools.

Responsibilities

• Perform requirements analysis and derive FPGA firmware requirements.
• Design FPGA firmware modules under direction of lead firmware engineer.
• Implement firmware modules and ensure adherence to standards and reuse policies.
• Produce firmware test specifications and integration with CI systems.
• Collaborate with software and hardware teams to integrate systems.
• Suggest tools/process improvements to enhance quality and efficiency.
• Contribute to meetings with customers through documents and presentations.
• Estimate effort for firmware activities and manage cost and schedule.
• Assist in technical proposals and bid cost/risk estimates.
• Manage information security per the Security manual and government regs.

Skills

FPGA design

FPGA toolchains

Firmware testing

Hardware schematics

Version control

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

DOORS

Enterprise Architect

Job description

Company: Ultra Intelligence & Communications

Cyber (UK) Business

Powering Decision

Join the team redefining defense technology. From engineering systems that save lives to leading programs that change the battlefield—find your place in the future of defense.

Cyber Business

Our Cyber business unit is at the forefront of pioneering advanced cryptographic and key management solutions, facilitating the confidential exchange of vital information for customers operating at both tactical and strategic echelons. Join our team and participate in the innovation that ensures the highest security and trust worldwide.

Job Description

The Ultra Engineering function manages a portfolio of specialist capabilities, generating highly differentiated solutions and products by applying electronic, mechanical, and software technologies in demanding and critical environments to meet customer needs.

The Electrical and Electronic engineering function in Ultra supports the hardware development lifecycle consisting of requirements analysis, design, implementation, test and verification in order to deliver electronic or electrical components and subassemblies into projects and products.

A professional at this grade possesses knowledge for specific fields and performs structured work assignments. Uses established procedures to solve problems by making judgments and gets work done with quality under moderate supervision. Has limited discretion to vary from established procedures.

Scope

Define, architect, design, develop, document and test FPGA firmware as part of our firmware engineering team, within the Communication Systems 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, requirements derivation from system level to firmware level requirements and architecture.
• Apply best and pragmatic practices to FPGA firmware design under the direction of the lead firmware engineer.
• Implement FPGA firmware modules and ensure that modules adhere to the project’s requirements and firmware group’s library policies for module reuse, coding standards, project development standards and security aspects.
• Review and understand requirements to produce firmware test specifications including module and full FPGA design test specifications.
• Ensure test procedures and processes are compatible with the project and firmware groups continuous integration systems.
• Undertake integration activities with software and hardware, requiring developing knowledge of both of these transversal domains.
• Proposes improvements in tools, processes and techniques that support quality and innovation and make the firmware development more efficient and effective.
• Actively contribute to defined aspects of the project to achieve optimal balance between requirements, schedule and cost.
• Contribute to customer facing meetings through document preparation, presentations and participation in meetings
• Estimate time and effort required for firmware activities and deliver to these time and effort estimates to ensure cost and schedule adherence.
• Review technical proposals, and assists with providing accurate estimates for the associated effort, costs and risks, for bids and proposals, leading to contract awards.
• Manage security of information as defined in the Security manual to ensure compliance with Government regulations.

Role requirements

• Essential:
  • Willing and able to obtain, and maintain, SC security clearance.
• Desirable:
  • 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
  • Experience of FPGA module design and implementation
  • Thorough experience of using Xilinx, Lattice, Altera or Microsemi FPGAs and their associated development tool chains
  • Experience of FPGA firmware testing, test tools and design for test
  • 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

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. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate level of security clearance for the role. Due to the nature of our work, you must be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. For more information, please visit the UKSV website.

Our Benefits

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

• Participation in an Annual Bonus Scheme

• Private Medical Cover

• 25 days’ holiday (plus Bank Holidays) with the option to buy an extra 5 days

• Pension Contribution

• 4 x Life Assurance Cover

• Flexible working hours with opportunity for a 1pm finish on a Friday

• Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme, will writing and more

• Security Clearance Allowance – where relevant and subject to you holding the required security clearance

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement

At Ultra I&C, we are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusivity. Underpinned by our values, behaviours, and policies, we want you to feel empowered to be the best version of yourself. We also believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures will increase our diversity of thinking, ensuring we successfully deliver to our customers. We, therefore, do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We also support requests for flexible working arrangements wherever possible. If you have any issues with your application, please email us at [e-mail]