FPGA / VHDL Firmware Engineer
Location: Onsite – TW20
Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience
Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
About the Company
This role is with a leading UK-based engineering and technology company specialising in the design and manufacture of advanced electronic systems for high-performance sensing and signal processing applications. The company operates across sectors such as defence, industrial measurement, and scientific instrumentation, delivering robust, high-speed embedded solutions tailored to demanding environments.
As part of a small, expert engineering team, you will contribute to the full lifecycle development of FPGA-based systems that form the core of the company’s innovative products.
Role Purpose
You will be responsible for developing and verifying firmware for high-speed FPGA applications, encompassing sensor signal acquisition, digital signal processing, and hardware integration. You will manage projects from concept through to production release, ensuring designs meet performance, reliability, and quality standards.
This is a fully onsite position requiring close collaboration with hardware, production, and test teams, and hands-on work with live hardware using standard lab instrumentation.
Key Responsibilities
Firmware Development: Design, code, and verify FPGA firmware in VHDL for high-speed embedded and signal processing applications.
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System Integration: Collaborate with hardware and software engineers to ensure seamless integration of FPGA designs with sensors, microcontrollers, and communication interfaces.
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Verification & Debug: Test and debug firmware and hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analysers, and other lab tools to validate system functionality.
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Documentation: Produce and maintain detailed technical documentation, including specifications, test reports, and production support materials.
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Project Management: Plan and track development activities, ensuring milestones and budgets are achieved.
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Production Support: Provide technical support to production teams, resolving firmware or hardware-related issues to maintain product quality and reliability.
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Continuous Improvement: Stay abreast of the latest FPGA technologies, toolchains, and methodologies, applying new knowledge to improve system performance and development efficiency.
Qualifications & Experience
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Degree in Electrical / Electronic Engineering or a related field.
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Minimum 2 years’ experience in VHDL development for FPGAs.
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Experience with Xilinx and Lattice FPGA technologies and associated toolchains.
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Proficient in serial and parallel interfaces (e.g., SPI, I²C, UART, RS232/485, CAN) and high-speed protocols (Ethernet, USB, TCP/IP, UDP, Aurora, sFPDP).
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Familiarity with schematic capture and circuit simulation tools (Altium, Protel, pSPICE).
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Working knowledge of scripting or automation tools such as Python.
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Strong analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills.
Personal Attributes
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Highly organised, self-motivated, and able to manage complex workloads effectively.
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Strong communicator with excellent teamwork and collaboration skills.
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Proactive, detail-oriented, and focused on delivering robust, high-quality solutions.
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Customer-focused approach with an awareness of cross-departmental processes.
Reporting Line
Reports to: Engineering Manager
Why Join
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Work on cutting-edge FPGA systems used in advanced sensing and signal processing.
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Join a tight-knit, technically driven team with opportunities to contribute to the full product lifecycle.
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Competitive salary and benefits package.
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Fully onsite role offering hands-on engagement with live systems and production hardware
