Senior Firmware Engineer

Description

The company is a global technology business with more than 83,000 employees across five continents, including over 7,500 in the UK, working in defence, space, aerospace and digital security.

You will join a firmware engineering team that builds advanced solutions for defence and related electronic systems, designing, developing and verifying FPGA firmware for mission-critical products using current FPGA and System-on-Chip technologies within a structured, quality-focused process.

The role offers the chance to shape reusable firmware architectures and tackle hard technical problems, influencing how firmware is designed, verified and delivered across programmes that involve several disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Architect FPGA firmware so that designs can be reused, scaled and maintained with ease.
• Design FPGA firmware in VHDL or SystemVerilog.
• Verify FPGA firmware using Hardware Verification Languages or Hardware Description Languages.
• Build and refine test benches, simulation environments and verification methods.
• Work with systems, software and hardware engineers to deliver complete electronic systems.
• Take part in defining requirements, and in architecture, design, verification and validation work.
• Improve firmware processes through documentation, scripting, reporting and automation.
• Work with internal teams, customers and integration facilities.
• Deliver firmware projects on agreed time, cost and quality targets.

Requirements

• Show firmware engineering experience in defence, aerospace or transportation, ideally including work with external customers and internal engineering stakeholders.
• Hold a relevant degree in Electronics or a related discipline: BEng, MEng, EngD or PhD.
• Show proven FPGA firmware design and verification experience, including delivering complex firmware within a structured engineering setting.
• Have strong FPGA design skills in VHDL or SystemVerilog.
• Have experience verifying FPGA firmware with test benches and simulation tools.
• Communicate well, both in writing and verbally.
• Work independently while contributing to a multi-disciplinary team.
• Desirable: experience with FPGA architectures from Xilinx/AMD, Altera/Intel, Microsemi/Microchip or Lattice.
• Desirable: experience with development tools Vivado, Vitis, Quartus, Libero, Diamond, Radiant, Precision or Propel.
• Desirable: experience with verification methodologies OSVVM, UVVM or UVM.
• Desirable: experience with simulation tools Siemens ModelSim/QuestaSim or AMD XSim.
• Desirable: scripting in TCL and/or Python.
• Desirable: requirements management in IBM Rational DOORS or Siemens Polarion.
• Desirable: knowledge of interfaces and protocols including PCIe, Ethernet, serial communications, AXI4, OCP, Wishbone, JESD204, CameraLink or SMPTE.
• Desirable: object-oriented design techniques.
• Desirable: algorithm development in MATLAB or Simulink.
• Desirable: Linux development environments.
• Desirable: familiarity with process assurance standards such as DO-254, IEC 61508, ISO 26262 or OpenCPI.
• Desirable: awareness of cyber-security standards, particularly IEC 62443.

Conditions

The role is hybrid, with regular time required at customer sites and/or integration facilities.

The role requires Security Clearance (SC). Holding it already is an advantage, but if you do not, you must obtain and maintain SC before you start work.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years. In some cases, 3 years of UK residence over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

Further guidance on clearance levels is available on the UK Security Vetting website.

The company gives equal opportunities, pay and working conditions to everyone.

Benefits

• Support for the company's long-term engineering career, including help with Professional Registration applications such as Chartership.
• Funding for membership of a relevant professional engineering body.
• Access to a full e-learning platform and structured development pathways.
• Clear routes to progress towards Firmware Architect, Firmware Engineering Manager, or recognised Specialist or Expert roles.
• Private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work scheme, employee discounts, a paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, and an annual bonus, depending on the role.
• You will be a proactive team player with a can-do attitude, comfortable solving complex problems and asking challenging questions, managing your own workload and bringing ideas that improve products, processes and engineering capability.
• The company welcomes candidates who encourage inclusiveness, collaboration and diverse thinking.