Staff FPGA Engineer

Job title: Staff FPGA Engineer

Location: Cambridge (Hybrid, 3 days onsite)

Job type: Permanent, full-time

Position Overview:

Provides technical leadership in the design and delivery of FPGA-based solutions within complex, security-focused systems. Owns FPGA architecture, implementation, and integration, and contributes to system-level design and planning. Drives technical direction, delivery planning, and execution across FPGA workstreams, while remaining a hands-on contributor.

Responsibilities:

• Leads the design, implementation, verification, and debug of VHDL-based FPGA solutions for new and existing products.
• Owns FPGA architectural design, including partitioning, interfaces, and performance trade-offs within system constraints.
• Drives integration of FPGA components with embedded and host software systems, ensuring robust and scalable solutions.
• Defines and structures FPGA development work, translating requirements into deliverable tasks and clear technical plans.
• Provides estimates for FPGA activities, ensuring plans are realistic, risks are understood, and dependencies are identified.
• Coordinates and balances FPGA work across engineers, aligning tasks to skill levels and supporting effective team delivery.
• Guides day-to-day execution, providing technical direction and unblocking engineers during implementation.
• Identifies and mitigates technical risks and delivery bottlenecks.
• Defines and evolves FPGA development processes, including configuration management, CI/CD, and verification practices.
• Contributes to system architecture, working with hardware, software, and product teams to define platform capabilities.
• Leads resolution of complex technical challenges (e.g. timing closure, resource optimisation, system integration).
• Mentors and develops engineers through technical guidance, design reviews, and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborates across teams to ensure alignment of FPGA deliverables with system and product objectives.

Required Experience:

• Degree (or equivalent experience) in Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering complex FPGA-based systems, including:
• VHDL RTL design
• Synthesis, place & route, and timing closure
• Verification methodologies (simulation, testbenches, coverage)
• Xilinx FPGA architectures and toolchains
• Experience translating algorithms into efficient FPGA implementations, optimised for performance, area, and power.
• Experience integrating FPGA designs into hardware/software systems, including bring-up and debugging.
• Software development experience (e.g. C or Python) to support tooling, test, or integration.
• Experience working in Linux and/or Windows development environments.

Bonus Experience:

• Xilinx SoC platforms (e.g. Zynq, Versal)
• Intel (Altera) FPGA architectures, including SoCs
• Verilog/SystemVerilog
• Cryptographic algorithms or secure hardware systems
• Product compliance, certification, or regulated environments

Personal Attributes:

• Demonstrates ownership and accountability for technical delivery.
• Applies a structured approach to planning, estimation, and execution.
• Effectively guides and develops other engineers, particularly less experienced team members.
• Maintains a hands-on approach while operating at system and team level.
• Strong collaborator, able to influence without authority.
• Comfortable working in complex, multi-disciplinary environments.