{"id":1522403,"url":"https://alion.io/job/ultra-ic-principal-fpga-engineer","title":"Principal FPGA Engineer","company":{"id":1994689,"name":"Ultra I&C","domain":"ultra-ic.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/ultra-ic","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":null},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Maidenhead, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":77000,"max_usd":139000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":20},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"TCP/IP","optional":false},{"name":"VHDL","optional":false},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-24T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-24","last_verified_at":"2026-10-12T15:51:22Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":18,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":18},"description":"Company: Ultra Intelligence & Communications\nCyber (UK) BusinessPowering Decision\nJoin 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.\nCyber Business\nOur 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.\nJob Description\nThe 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.\nKey Responsibilities\nPerform 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.\nProduce high quality and robust Firmware designs and architectures to meet the Firmware requirements and Interface specifications.\nProduce design, development and implementation documentation including specifications, reports and proposals of a quality commensurate with its end use.\nProduce documentation to show requirement traceability including verification methodologies.\nAccurately 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.\nEnsure that the Firmware development process is conducted in accordance with the Firmware development plan.\nRequires only general direction to perform effectively; is not subject to supervision or close management.\nGenerate inputs required for product level design reviews.\nReviews and signs off significant technical documents; will often chair technical reviews for significant deliverables.\nProvides specialist knowledge and support to the wider engineering team; recognised as a domain expert inside the company, and possibly with external bodies.\nMentors and coaches less experienced engineers; shares knowledge willingly and constructively.\nProposes and champions ideas for improvement that support innovation and make the engineering organisation more efficient.\nActively look for opportunities to improve processes used in the Firmware development and propose changes. Implementing these changes where appropriate.\nThe role may involve line management responsibility.\nManage security of information as defined in the Security manual.\nWhere requested provides feedback on firmware development status and cost to complete to the Project Manager and/or Engineering Project Lead (or equivalent)\nUndertake 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.\nRequired Experience, Skills and Qualifications\nDegree in an engineering, mathematical or science-based subject or equivalent experience.\nHighly organised, self-managing, able to manage multiple activities at any one time\nExcellent interpersonal skills, able to engage effectively with all audiences/stakeholders at all levels in the organisation\nStrong understanding of risk management principles, including risk assessment, mitigation, and acceptance processes.\nFully Proficient in the full life cycle Firmware development demonstrated on more than one project.\nFully Proficient in Firmware development using VHDL.\nHas a variety of engineering methods and techniques; applies and adapts these as necessary to create solutions.\nProven experience with Engineering design methodologies. For example, the ‘V’ Model - Requirements, architecture, detailed design, Implementation, Integration, Test, Validation & Verification.\nAbility to design for synchronous and asynchronous systems. For example, System Synchronous, Source Synchronous and Asynchronous systems.\nAbility to provide technical leadership to a team of Firmware engineers in the design and development of FPGAs.\nThorough experience of using Xilinx, Lattice, Altera or Microsemi FPGAs and their associated development tool chains.\nProficient in Verification.\nGood knowledge of FPGA EDA tools and tool flow.\nProficient in the use of industry standard communications protocols associated with communication interfaces (UARTs, USARTs, SPI, I2C, TCP/IP, UDP).\nAbility to read, interpret and understand hardware schematics.\nExperience of version control, change control and bug tracking tools and systems.\nAbility to communicate complex technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in written documentation suitable for technical and non-technical audiences.\nExperience with version control, change management, and defect tracking systems.\nStrong problem-solving skills, with a proactive and self-motivated approach.\nAbility to quickly assimilate new information and apply logical, structured thinking to complex challenges.\nExcellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent activities.\nStrong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels.\nDesirable Experience, Skills and Qualifications\nExperience in the development of military or defence-related equipment, with an appreciation of operational environments and constraints.\nExperience in the development of UK High Grade Cryptographic products or other high-assurance secure systems.\nExperience of/exposure to best practice firmware development processes/lifecycles.\nExperience of/exposure to continuous integration and automated test tools and frameworks.\nExposure to coding standards for defence, space or air worthiness techniques and standards such as MISRA.\nExperience of DOORS and Enterprise Architect.\nExperience in Digital Electronics and Digital Logic Design.\nExperience in the development of military or defence-related equipment, with an appreciation of operational environments and constraints.\nExperience in the development of UK High Grade Cryptographic products or other high-assurance secure systems.\nSecurity Clearance\nCandidates must be willing and able to obtain, and maintain, DV security clearance \nNotice\nDue 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.\nOur Benefits\nEvery employee is critical to our success, and as such, we offer a range of flexible employee benefits, including:\nParticipation in an Annual Bonus Scheme\n\nPrivate Medical Cover\n\n25 days’ holiday (plus Bank Holidays) with the option to buy an extra 5 days\n\nPension Contribution\n\n4 x Life Assurance Cover\n\nFlexible working hours with opportunity for a 1pm finish on a Friday\n\nFlexible benefits including cycle to work scheme, will writing and more\n\nSecurity Clearance Allowance - where relevant and subject to you holding the required security clearance\n\nDiversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement\nAt 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. 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