Senior FPGA Engineer (Open to Contractors)

Hunter Savage; Millbrook; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment consultancy is seeking an experienced Senior FPGA Engineer to join an R&D team in Northern Ireland. You will design and optimise FPGA solutions for advanced imaging and embedded systems, lead hardware testing, and mentor junior engineers. A degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering is required along with proficiency in VHDL/Verilog. This position offers a competitive day rate and potential for hybrid work after a successful embed.

Benefits

Very competitive day rate

Opportunity to work on advanced projects

Professional development opportunities

Supportive culture

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering FPGA designs within complex digital systems.
• Strong knowledge of timing closure, simulation, verification, and hardware debug.
• Desirable: experience with image/signal processing, SoC platforms, and integration of high-speed interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement and optimise FPGA solutions for image/video processing pipelines.
• Lead hardware testing, validation, and system integration.
• Provide mentorship to junior engineers.

Skills

FPGA design delivery

VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog proficiency

Signal processing knowledge

System integration experience

Education

Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Tools

Xilinx Vivado

Intel Quartus

Job description

Job Title: Senior FPGA Engineer

Description:

We are hiring for our client who is seeking an experienced and innovative Senior FPGA Engineer to join their R&D team on site in Larne, Northern Ireland. This engagement offers a very competitive day rate and the opportunity to work on cutting‑edge imaging and embedded systems. Please note: the Senior FPGA Engineer must attend site regularly to collaborate with the R&D team. Flexible working from home may be considered after a successful embedding period and subject to project needs. The successful Senior FPGA Engineer will lead end‑to‑end FPGA design and development. From architecture definition to deployment, while driving verification, validation, and in‑system testing to deliver robust, high‑performance solutions.

Top 3 Things to Know About this Job

1. Very competitive day rate

2. On‑site with the R&D team in Larne (WFH flexibility may be considered after successful embed)

3. Exposure to cutting‑edge FPGA work in imaging and embedded systems

The Role

• Design, implement and optimise FPGA solutions for image/video processing pipelines using a mix of third‑party IP and bespoke components

• Develop FPGA architectures integrating microcontrollers/SoCs, high‑speed interfaces and memory subsystems

• Translate system‑level requirements into efficient, synthesizable HDL with IP/design reuse in mind

• Implement and optimise signal and image processing algorithms on FPGA platforms

• Lead hardware testing, validation and system integration, including verification strategies and in‑system testing

• Provide mentorship to junior engineers and contribute to continuous improvement of FPGA methodologies

The Person

• Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering or related discipline (BSc/BEng/MSc/MEng)

• Proven track record delivering FPGA designs within complex digital systems

• Proficient in VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog and modern toolchains (e.g. Xilinx Vivado, Intel Quartus)

• Strong knowledge of timing closure, simulation, verification and hardware debug

• Desirable: experience with image/signal processing, SoC platforms (e.g. Zynq, Stratix, Agilex) and integration of high‑speed interfaces

• Comfortable working on site with cross‑functional R&D teams; adaptable to a hybrid model after a successful embed

The Reward

• Very competitive day rate

• Opportunity to work on advanced imaging and embedded FPGA projects

• Professional development and scope to lead technical initiatives

• Supportive, innovative culture encouraging collaboration and growth

Next Steps – Why Hunter Savage

For further information, and to apply for this Senior FPGA Engineer job, please contact Dominic Heron. Visit our website for a full list of opportunities in Engineering & Manufacturing. At Hunter Savage, we are a specialist recruitment consultancy with deep sector insight across the UK & Ireland. We provide expert, confidential career advice and connect professionals with roles offering real potential for progress and growth.

We reserve the right to heighten shortlisting criteria dependent upon the calibre of response