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
