Senior RTL/ASIC & FPGA Design Director (AI-Driven)

Spectrum IT Recruitment; Southampton; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectrum IT Recruitment is partnering with a rapidly growing technology company to hire an experienced Hardware Design Manager. You will lead and grow the RTL/Digital Hardware engineering team, delivering ASIC and FPGA projects while scaling processes and adopting AI-assisted tools.

You will manage teams across locations, recruit and mentor engineers, and provide technical leadership to shape the hardware organisation as it expands. This role blends tech depth with people leadership.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and growing digital hardware/RTL engineering teams.
• Strong technical background in ASIC and/or FPGA development.
• Experience across architecture, RTL design and verification.
• Track record of recruiting, developing and retaining engineering talent.
• Strong knowledge of hardware development methodologies and design flows.
• Ability to balance technical leadership, people development and project delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a growing RTL/Digital Hardware engineering organisation.
• Manage engineering teams across multiple locations.
• Recruit, mentor and develop high‑performing engineers.
• Provide technical leadership across ASIC/FPGA development.
• Improve engineering processes, methodologies and design flows.
• Drive adoption of automation and AI-assisted engineering tools.
• Work with architects, project managers and senior stakeholders.
• Support technology and product roadmap development.
• Take ownership of engineering quality, performance and hardware delivery.

Skills

RTL design

ASIC development

FPGA development

Leadership

People management

Engineering delivery

Automation

AI tools

Hiring/Mentoring

Architecture

Job description

Spectrum IT Recruitment is partnering with a rapidly growing technology company to hire an experienced Hardware Design Manager. You will lead and grow the RTL/Digital Hardware engineering team, delivering ASIC and FPGA projects while scaling processes and adopting AI-assisted tools.

You will manage teams across locations, recruit and mentor engineers, and provide technical leadership to shape the hardware organisation as it expands. This role blends tech depth with people leadership.