Principal Digital IC Design Engineer
Requirements
Candidates must have significant experience in digital or mixed-signal IC design, with a strong understanding of the full digital IC design lifecycle. A degree in Electronics, Engineering, or a related discipline is essential, along with expertise in RTL design and verification methodologies.
Job Description
Principal Digital IC Design Engineer
Location: Fareham, Hampshire (Hybrid Working Available)
Salary: £87,000 + bonus
Contract: Permanent
Visa Sponsorship is available
We’re recruiting for a Principal Digital IC Design Engineer on behalf of a high-growth semiconductor organisation operating at the forefront of advanced electronics. This is a senior individual contributor role, ideal for a recognised technical expert who wants to drive digital IC innovation while influencing architecture, methodology and best practice across complex ASIC and MCU developments.
You’ll play a key role in shaping next-generation digital designs used in safety-critical and high-performance applications, working across multidisciplinary and global engineering teams.
The Role
This position focuses on technical leadership across digital IC development, from architecture definition through to silicon validation.
As a Principal Engineer, you’ll provide deep technical expertise, guide design decisions, and act as a key contributor to complex projects, while mentoring engineers and influencing engineering standards across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Define and influence digital architecture based on system and product requirements
- Lead complex digital design, implementation, verification and validation activities
- Drive performance, power and area optimisation across ASIC and MCU designs
- Act as a technical authority for digital IC design methodologies and best practices
- Contribute to and review RTL design, verification strategies and sign-off processes
- Support IP development, integration and evaluation of third-party IP
- Collaborate closely with analogue, software, systems and backend teams globally
- Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineers across the team
- Support silicon bring-up, debug, validation and failure analysis
- Contribute to EDA tool evaluation and continuous improvement of design flows
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Essential:
- Degree-qualified (BEng/MEng) in Electronics, Engineering or related discipline
- Significant experience in digital or mixed-signal IC design (ASIC preferred)
- Strong expertise across the full digital IC design lifecycle (specification to silicon)
- Proven track record of delivering complex digital ICs or subsystems
- Deep understanding of RTL design, verification methodologies and timing closure
- Experience with low-power design techniques and optimisation
- Strong knowledge of EDA tools and digital design flows
- Experience in silicon debug and validation
- Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to influence technical decisions
Desirable:
- Exposure to mixed-signal environments
- Familiarity with full ASIC front-end and back-end flows
- Knowledge of IP integration and lifecycle management
- Scripting/automation experience (e.g. Python)
- Experience with tools such as JIRA and Confluence
Why Apply?
- Salary of £87,000 plus annual bonus
- Flexible hybrid working (typically 3 days on-site in Fareham)
- Senior technical role with significant influence on product architecture
- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge semiconductor technologies
- Collaborative, innovation-driven engineering environment
- Strong benefits package including pension, private medical and dental cover
- Clear progression path within a growing semiconductor organisation
- Visa Sponsorship available
For more information or to apply, contact:
Lewis Phillips
01582 369359
lphillips@versorecruitment.com
Education
["bachelor degree"]
Skills
About Verso Recruitment Group
At Verso Recruitment Group, we specialise in expert technical recruitment across the electronics, technology and manufacturing industries - connecting top engineering talent with leading companies that are shaping the future of innovation and industrial excellence. Built on over five decades of collective industry experience, our team of seasoned recruitment professionals understands the unique challenges that technology and manufacturing organisations face. We aren’t just recruiters - we’re trusted advisors, talent strategists and industry partners committed to simplifying what can often be a complex hiring process. What makes us different: 🔹 Sector‑specialised expertise - our deep focus on electronics, embedded software, mechanical design, manufacturing operations, and technical sales & marketing means we deliver targeted, high‑quality candidate shortlists that save time and drive results. 🔹 Permanent, contract and executive search solutions - from critical technical hires to senior leadership appointments, we tailor our approach to your business needs. 🔹 Relationships that matter - we partner with both established global innovators and ambitious growth‑stage companies, acting as an extension of your talent team. Our mission is clear: simplify recruitment for the world’s most demanding technical and engineering organisations, delivering best‑in‑class talent while providing an outstanding candidate experience. Whether you’re scaling a design team, building manufacturing capacity, or recruiting specialised technical experts, we help you find the right people - right when you need them. Verso Recruitment Group is headquartered in the UK, and proud to serve clients and candidates across the UK, Europe and USA.
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