Senior Firmware Engineer - #2089052

Principal Firmware / FPGA Specialist

Location: Edinburgh,

Security Clearance: SC Cleared (or eligible)

Nationality Requirement: Sole British (British Eyes Only programme)

Overview

We are seeking a Principal Firmware / FPGA Specialist to support a high-profile defence programme based in Edinburgh. This position involves the development of advanced firmware solutions for complex digital systems, contributing to critical defence capability.

The successful candidate will operate as a senior technical specialist within a multidisciplinary engineering environment, working alongside subject matter experts and utilising state-of-the-art facilities. In addition to delivering high-quality firmware, you will contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes across UK-wide delivery teams and provide mentoring to junior engineers.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyse system-level requirements and derive detailed firmware requirements
• Lead the design, development, and verification of FPGA/firmware solutions
• Deliver firmware across the full development lifecycle, from VHDL design through to synthesis, place and route
• Integrate and debug complex systems involving firmware, hardware, and software interactions
• Define and manage timing and area constraints to ensure efficient FPGA implementation
• Contribute to the development and improvement of engineering standards, processes, and methodologies
• Collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentoring to junior team members
• Support programme delivery in line with defence and customer requirements

Essential Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience in FPGA/firmware development across the full lifecycle
• Strong proficiency in VHDL and FPGA design methodologies
• Experience working with advanced FPGA architectures, including System-on-Chip platforms (e.g. Xilinx Versal)
• Proven experience integrating and debugging complex embedded systems
• Strong understanding of FPGA timing analysis and constraint definition
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within cross-functional engineering teams
• Experience in requirements capture, analysis, and decomposition

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering or a related engineering/science discipline (BSc, BEng, MEng, MSc or PhD)

Desirable Skills

• Experience with Siemens EDA tools (HDL Designer, QuestaSim)
• Familiarity with requirements management tools such as DOORS and ReqTracer
• Experience with model-based design and auto-generated code using MATLAB and Simulink
• Knowledge of Verilog, SystemVerilog, and UVM
• Previous experience within the defence sector or other highly regulated industries

Additional Requirements

Due to the sensitive nature of this programme:

• Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain Security Clearance (SC)
• This role is restricted to sole British nationals in line with project requirements