Principal FPGA Engineer

Company: Ultra Intelligence & Communications

Cyber (UK) Business

Powering Decision

Join the team redefining defense technology. From engineering systems that save lives to leading programs that change the battlefield—find your place in the future of defense.

Cyber Business

Our Cyber business unit is at the forefront of pioneering advanced cryptographic and key management solutions, facilitating the confidential exchange of vital information for customers operating at both tactical and strategic echelons. Join our team and participate in the innovation that ensures the highest security and trust worldwide.

The Principal Firmware (FPGA) Engineer is a senior experienced technical professional who is able to lead the architecture, design, implementation, integration, and verification of firmware systems built on Field‑Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). This role combines deep expertise in embedded systems, digital hardware design, and FPGA logic development with the ability to guide complex projects from concept through qualification and deployment.

Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, the Principal Firmware Engineer plays a critical role in shaping and influencing product design and development. By integrating firmware  considerations from the earliest stages, they help ensure that solutions are not only compliant with relevant standards but are also robust, reliable, and fit for purpose in demanding operational environments.

Key Responsibilities 

• Perform requirements analysis and requirements derivation to generate understandable, and robust firmware requirements from inbound (user and systems level) requirements. In doing so, provide feedback to the systems team regarding poorly written, ambiguous, or unverifiable inbound requirements.
• Produce high quality and robust Firmware designs and architectures to meet the Firmware requirements and Interface specifications.
• Produce design, development and implementation documentation including specifications, reports and proposals of a quality commensurate with its end use.
• Produce documentation to show requirement traceability including verification methodologies.
• Accurately estimates work of self and others; identifies cost-effective solutions in terms of both development time and materials; delivers predictably and increases team’s ability to do the same.
• Ensure that the Firmware development process is conducted in accordance with the Firmware development plan.
• Requires only general direction to perform effectively; is not subject to supervision or close management.
• Generate inputs required for product level design reviews.
• Reviews and signs off significant technical documents; will often chair technical reviews for significant deliverables.
• Provides specialist knowledge and support to the wider engineering team; recognised as a domain expert inside the company, and possibly with external bodies.
• Mentors and coaches less experienced engineers; shares knowledge willingly and constructively.
• Proposes and champions ideas for improvement that support innovation and make the engineering organisation more efficient.
• Actively look for opportunities to improve processes used in the Firmware development and propose changes. Implementing these changes where appropriate.
• The role may involve line management responsibility.
• Manage security of information as defined in the Security manual.
• Where requested provides feedback on firmware development status and cost to complete to the Project Manager and/or Engineering Project Lead (or equivalent)
• Undertake the role of firmware lead, where requested.  In this role, technically manage a team of firmware engineers ensuring they have clear objectives with agreed realisation dates.

Required Experience, Skills and Qualifications

• Degree in an engineering, mathematical or science-based subject or equivalent experience.
• Highly organised, self-managing, able to manage multiple activities at any one time
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to engage effectively with all audiences/stakeholders at all levels in the organisation
• Strong understanding of risk management principles, including risk assessment, mitigation, and acceptance processes.
• Fully Proficient in the full life cycle Firmware development demonstrated on more than one project.
• Fully Proficient in Firmware development using VHDL.
• Has a variety of engineering methods and techniques; applies and adapts these as necessary to create solutions.
• Proven experience with Engineering design methodologies. For example, the ‘V’ Model – Requirements, architecture, detailed design, Implementation, Integration, Test, Validation & Verification.
• Ability to design for synchronous and asynchronous systems. For example, System Synchronous, Source Synchronous and Asynchronous systems.
• Ability to provide technical leadership to a team of Firmware engineers in the design and development of FPGAs.
• Thorough experience of using Xilinx, Lattice, Altera or Microsemi FPGAs and their associated development tool chains.
• Proficient in Verification.
• Good knowledge of FPGA EDA tools and tool flow.
• Proficient in the use of industry standard communications protocols associated with communication interfaces (UARTs, USARTs, SPI, I2C, TCP/IP, UDP).
• Ability to read, interpret and understand hardware schematics.
• Experience of version control, change control and bug tracking tools and systems.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in written documentation suitable for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with version control, change management, and defect tracking systems.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a proactive and self-motivated approach.
• Ability to quickly assimilate new information and apply logical, structured thinking to complex challenges.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent activities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

Desirable Experience, Skills and Qualifications

• Experience in the development of military or defence-related equipment, with an appreciation of operational environments and constraints.
• Experience in the development of UK High Grade Cryptographic products or other high-assurance secure systems.
• Experience of/exposure to best practice firmware development processes/lifecycles.
• Experience of/exposure to continuous integration and automated test tools and frameworks.
• Exposure to coding standards for defence, space or air worthiness techniques and standards such as MISRA.
• Experience of DOORS and Enterprise Architect.
• Experience in Digital Electronics and Digital Logic Design.
• Experience in the development of military or defence-related equipment, with an appreciation of operational environments and constraints.
• Experience in the development of UK High Grade Cryptographic products or other high-assurance secure systems.

Security Clearance

• Candidates must be willing and able to obtain, and maintain, DV security clearance  

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Notice

Due to the nature of the programs we deliver for our customers, candidates may need to obtain the relevant security clearance or handle export-controlled material as defined by the role's requirements. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate level of security clearance for the role. Due to the nature of our work, you must be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. For more information, please visit the UKSV website.

Our Benefits

Every employee is critical to our success, and as such, we offer a range of flexible employee benefits, including:

• Participation in an Annual Bonus Scheme

• Private Medical Cover

• 25 days’ holiday (plus Bank Holidays) with the option to buy an extra 5 days

• Pension Contribution

• 4 x Life Assurance Cover

• Flexible working hours with opportunity for a 1pm finish on a Friday

• Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme, will writing and more

• Security Clearance Allowance – where relevant and subject to you holding the required security clearance

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement

At Ultra I&C, we are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusivity. Underpinned by our values, behaviours, and policies, we want you to feel empowered to be the best version of yourself. We also believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures will increase our diversity of thinking, ensuring we successfully deliver to our customers. We, therefore, do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We also support requests for flexible working arrangements wherever possible. If you have any issues with your application, please email us at careers@ultra-ic.com