Senior FPGA Engineer

Mass Limited; St. Neots; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Buy or sell up to 5 days' annual leave

Annual Wellbeing allowance

Two pension schemes to choose from

Private Medical Insurance + family

Life Assurance scheme up to 4 x salary

Share Save scheme

Electric/Hybrid Car leasing scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Retail discounts

Job summary

You will use VHDL/SystemVerilog and MATLAB/Simulink HDL Coder, with support from tools like Vivado, Quartus and ModelSim. A UK national SC-level security clearance is required due to project sensitivity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering real-time FPGA-based DSP systems.
• Experience with embedded Linux/bare-metal C drivers and FPGA-system integration.
• Knowledge of AXI interfaces, memory interfaces and high-speed ADC/DAC integration.
• Experience designing streaming architectures using AXI4-Stream and DMA.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation and verification of advanced FPGA architectures for RF signal processing and real-time logic.
• Develop for RFSoCs and Intel FPGAs, including integration with high-speed ADCs/DACs.
• Support lab evaluation using signal generators, spectrum analysers, and oscilloscopes.
• Lead or contribute to designs using VHDL, SystemVerilog, and MATLAB/Simulink HDL Coder.
• Develop C/C++ software for embedded deployment.
• Use Vivado, Quartus and ModelSim for simulation, synthesis and implementation.
• Drive design verification, unit testing, documentation and best practices.
• Act as a technical expert in reviews and solution development; mentor junior engineers.
• Engage with stakeholders to capture requirements and align solutions with project goals.

Skills

FPGA design leadership

DSP algorithm development

VHDL

SystemVerilog

MATLAB/Simulink HDL Coder

C/C++ for embedded

RFSoC/Intel platforms

Mentoring / technical leadership

Stakeholder requirements

Real-time DSP

Tools

Vivado

Quartus

ModelSim

HDL Coder

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

• Lead the design, implementation and verification of advanced FPGA architectures for RF signal processing, high-throughput data handling, and real-time logic.
• Develop for AMD/Xilinx RFSoCs (e.g. Zynq UltraScale+) and Intel FPGAs (e.g. Agilex), including integration with high-speed ADCs/DACs.
• Support test and lab evaluation using signal generators, spectrum analysers, and oscilloscopes.
• Lead or contribute to the implementation of designs using VHDL, SystemVerilog, and MATLAB/Simulink HDL Coder.
• Develop C/C++ software for deployment to embedded systems
• Use industry-standard tools such as Vivado, Quartus, and ModelSim for simulation, synthesis, and implementation
• Drive design verification, unit testing, documentation and best practice in FPGA development
• Act as a technical expert in reviews, solution development, and internal consultation across teams
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across FPGA projects
• Engage with stakeholders to capture requirements and ensure technical solutions align with project and business requirements
  Proven experience in DSP algorithm development on FPGA architectures to deliver designs for real-time, high-speed, or RF-centric systems
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and HDL Coder for algorithm-to-hardware workflows
• Proven ability to develop and deploy on Xilinx RFSoC (e.g. Zynq UltraScale+) and/or Intel Agilex/Stratix platforms
• Experience of line management of junior team members
• Experience using laboratory equipment for digital hardware/firmware design testing (Oscilloscopes, signal generators and logic analysers)

Desirable Experience

• Experience working with embedded Linux, bare-metal C drivers, or FPGA-based system integration
• Proficiency in VHDL, SystemVerilog, and embedded C for FPGA-host integration, control, and testing
• Familiarity with AXI interfaces, memory interfaces, JESD204B/C, or high-speed ADC/DAC integration
• Experience designing streaming architectures using AXI4-Stream, DMA, and memory buffers (e.g. BRAM, URAM)
• Knowledge of data framing, tagging, and high-throughput IQ data handling
• Experience working with synthetic electromagnetic environments and their associated software and hardware requirements and limitations
• Familiarity with Atlassian products (Jira/Bitbucket) for project and task management and collaborative development
• Experience with C/C++ for embedded systems
• Knowledge of EW systems and concepts, including radar systems

Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential. Our people are important to us, and we take pride in our wellbeing programmes and policies that support individuals, including mental health first aiders and readily available support through our extensive employee assistance programme. Our non-negotiables: Due to the highly secure nature of the projects that you will be involved with, you must be: A UK National Eligible to obtain and maintain a UK Government SC-level security clearance
As part of this growth, MASS is looking for a Senior FPGA Engineer to join our modelling team in North Hykeham, Lincoln, supporting team development and the delivery of technical excellence. This is a collaborative hands‑on role suited to someone with considerable experience in FPGA design and a passion for developing signal processing systems for complex, real‑world challenges. You'll work closely with cross functional teams, acting as a technical lead in the design and delivery of systems that include RF signal chains, high-speed digital interfaces, and real-time DSP. Your work will influence key architectural decisions, address integration challenges, and help shape the development of reconfigurable hardware platforms for use in mission‑critical environments., We're MASS, an independent, global technology company, trusted by highly‑secure organisations to provide advanced, digital services that manage data and keep information safe. We're experts in defence and other sectors that need our experience and knowledge to protect confidential data. At MASS, we work together to put customer needs first, in small teams where we give you the freedom to take ownership. It means you make an impact from the start, with our management always available to offer support. We want people to fulfil their ambitions, whether that’s through further study, technical training or exploring other business areas. Our benefits are competitive, but it's the family atmosphere that makes us a great place to be, celebrating successes together and getting to know each other through socials and events. We promote wellbeing and balance, with flexibility where possible and we work hard to widen access to STEM careers through our apprenticeships and initiatives, always encouraging diverse perspectives across the company. Life at MASS is challenging, exciting, inspiring and rewarding. Our people are curious, problem‑solvers, great at what they do, and love their work. If that's you, come and join us.

• 25 days annual leave
• Buy or sell up to 5 days' annual leave
• Annual Wellbeing allowance
• Two pension schemes to choose from
• Private Medical Insurance + discounts for additional family members
• Life Assurance scheme up to 4 x salary
• Share Save scheme
• Electric/Hybrid Car leasing scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Retail discounts

We’re growing our Electronic Warfare Operations Support Group (EWOS), a team of over 60 specialists from a wide range of backgrounds. Our engineers, scientists, and ex‑military personnel work together to help our customers achieve their true operational potential and help keep their people and platforms safe.