Design Verification Engineer

Principal / Senior Principal IP-Level Verification Engineer – £100k – £150k - Bristol/Hertfordshire

My client, a specialist semiconductor IP business, is seeking Principal and Senior Principal Verification Engineers to help shape the verification of next-generation GPU architectures.

These positions combine hands-on technical ownership with the opportunity to influence verification strategy, methodology and delivery across complex processor IP.

The team is interested in engineers with substantial GPU, CPU, processor or AI accelerator verification experience who can demonstrate ownership of challenging IP and subsystem verification programmes.

Depending on your strengths, the role could focus on defining verification architecture for complex subsystems, providing specialist technical leadership, or leading a GPU verification project through its full development cycle.

GPU Hardware Verification Engineer – Role & Responsibilities:

• Define verification strategies, plans and architectures for complex GPU IP and subsystems
• Architect and develop reusable SystemVerilog/UVM verification environments
• Translate architectural specifications into robust verification approaches, tests and coverage models
• Investigate complex failures across RTL, microarchitecture and verification infrastructure
• Drive coverage closure, verification quality and sign-off readiness
• Improve verification methodology, infrastructure and reuse across projects
• Collaborate closely with Design and Architecture teams to resolve technical challenges
• Mentor engineers and provide practical technical guidance
• For project leadership appointments, coordinate verification delivery, manage technical risks and communicate progress to engineering stakeholders

GPU Hardware Verification Engineer – Essential Skills:

• Substantial hands-on experience in functional verification of complex processor IP or subsystems
• Strong SystemVerilog and UVM capability, including personally architecting and building verification environments
• Experience verifying GPU, CPU, programmable processor or AI accelerator hardware
• A strong understanding of the architecture and behaviour of the hardware you have verified
• Evidence of owning verification planning, debugging, coverage closure and delivery
• The ability to explain technical decisions, trade-offs and difficult problems you have personally solved
• Experience providing technical leadership, mentoring or methodology ownership
• Willingness to work with the engineering team in Bristol or Kings Langley

Principal appointments will typically suit engineers with 10+ years of relevant experience.

Senior Principal appointments will typically suit engineers with 15+ years, although exceptional candidates with a shorter track record will be considered. At this level, you should demonstrate either substantial project leadership or recognised expertise in a demanding verification specialism. Both levels require current hands-on capability.

Nice to Have:

• Direct GPU IP verification experience
• Cache, memory hierarchy, MMU or TLB verification expertise
• Processor instruction-set, execution pipeline or arithmetic-unit verification
• Experience defining verification methodology across multiple teams or projects
• Assertions and SVA expertise
• Leadership of distributed verification teams through complete development programmes

Relevant Experience:

Your background should demonstrate detailed verification ownership within the processor IP itself. Engineers with substantial hands-on verification experience at IP or complex subsystem level is essential. You must have personally owned verification architecture and SystemVerilog/UVM environment development. Experience focused primarily on SoC integration or connectivity verification does not meet the requirements.

Why This Role:

• Influence how complex GPU IP is verified and delivered
• Own technically demanding work with clear responsibility for outcomes
• Develop your career through specialist technical authority or project leadership
• Work directly with experienced Design, Architecture and Verification engineers
• Apply CPU or accelerator verification expertise to GPU development
• Shape reusable environments and methodologies that support future projects

Salary and Benefits:

• Base Salary: £100,000–£150,000
• 30% annual bonus opportunity
• Total compensation: £130,000 – £195,000
• Flexible / remote working model
• Pension scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Income protection
• Relocation Support available (If required)
• Visa Sponsorship Available (If required)
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities
• The opportunity to work alongside recognised experts within the graphics industry
• Significant influence over future generations of graphics technologies

Application Process

My client offers a streamlined 3-stage interview process:

• Stage 1: Technical Screening (45 minutes)
• Stage 2: Technical Panel Interview (2 hours 10 minutes)
• Stage 3: HR / Final Discussion

The process can typically be completed within 2-4 weeks, depending on candidate availability.