Principal Firmware Engineer Level 6

Contract Firmware Engineer (FPGA) – Luton - 1756

Location: Luton (90% onsite)
Rate: £84.81/hour Umbrella
Duration: 12 months

We seek an engineer with recent high-integrity or safety-critical industry experience (defence, aerospace, or similar), or eligible for UK security clearance.

Overview

An opportunity for an experienced Firmware Engineer to support the development of complex FPGA-based digital systems within a multidisciplinary engineering team. The role involves designing, implementing and verifying firmware solutions for high-performance, safety-critical applications.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and verify FPGA firmware for complex digital systems.
• Derive firmware requirements and architectures from system-level requirements.
• Develop RTL using Verilog/SystemVerilog and verify designs using UVM.
• Work with FPGA toolchains including Xilinx and Intel (Altera) devices.
• Develop high-speed interface solutions (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, JESD).
• Support model-based development using MATLAB/Simulink where appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with hardware, systems and software engineers.
• Contribute to design reviews, testing and documentation throughout the development lifecycle.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong FPGA development experience across major FPGA families.
• Proficiency with Xilinx tools, TCL, Verilog, SystemVerilog and UVM.
• Experience with Xilinx 7 Series, UltraScale, Intel (Altera) or Microsemi FPGA architectures.
• Knowledge of high-speed interfaces such as PCIe, Ethernet and JESD.
• Experience deriving firmware architectures from system requirements.
• Familiarity with structured firmware development processes (e.g. DO-254 or equivalent).
• Understanding of electronics test methods and laboratory equipment.
• Strong communication skills and experience working within multidisciplinary teams.

Desirable Skills

• Model-based design using MATLAB/Simulink.
• Knowledge of cryptography and anti-tamper techniques.
• Experience applying AI/ML concepts within embedded or firmware environments.