Contract Firmware Engineer (FPGA) – Luton - 1756 Location: Luton (90% onsite) Rate: £84.81/hour Umbrella Duration: 12 months We seek an engineer with recent high-integrity or safety-critical industry experience (defence, aerospace, or similar), or eligible for UK security clearance. Overview An opportunity for an experienced Firmware Engineer to support the development of complex FPGA-based digital systems within a multidisciplinary engineering team. The role involves designing, implementing and verifying firmware solutions for high-performance, safety-critical applications. Key Responsibilities Design, develop and verify FPGA firmware for complex digital systems. Derive firmware requirements and architectures from system-level requirements. Develop RTL using Verilog/SystemVerilog and verify designs using UVM. Work with FPGA toolchains including Xilinx and Intel (Altera) devices. Develop high-speed interface solutions (e.g. PCIe, Ethernet, JESD). Support model-based development using MATLAB/Simulink where appropriate. Collaborate closely with hardware, systems and software engineers. Contribute to design reviews, testing and documentation throughout the development lifecycle. Essential Skills & Experience Strong FPGA development experience across major FPGA families. Proficiency with Xilinx tools, TCL, Verilog, SystemVerilog and UVM. Experience with Xilinx 7 Series, UltraScale, Intel (Altera) or Microsemi FPGA architectures. Knowledge of high-speed interfaces such as PCIe, Ethernet and JESD. Experience deriving firmware architectures from system requirements. Familiarity with structured firmware development processes (e.g. DO-254 or equivalent). Understanding of electronics test methods and laboratory equipment. Strong communication skills and experience working within multidisciplinary teams. Desirable Skills Model-based design using MATLAB/Simulink. Knowledge of cryptography and anti-tamper techniques. Experience applying AI/ML concepts within embedded or firmware environments