FPGA Designer

Mbda Systems; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence company in the UK is seeking an FPGA Designer to develop complex FPGA platforms for defence and space manufacturing. This role involves managing all phases of the FPGA design life cycle and offers a hybrid work model with competitive salary and substantial benefits, including a company bonus of up to 21%.

Benefits

Up to 21% company bonus

14% employer pension contribution

Flexible working arrangements

Enhanced parental leave

Subsidised meals and free car parking

Qualifications

• Experience generating complex FPGA architectures using VHDL.
• Proficient with FPGA design tools targeting Xilinx and Intel devices.
• Strong documentation and design configuration skills.

Responsibilities

• All phases of the FPGA design life cycle including requirement gathering.
• HDL development, simulation, and verification.
• Integration and validation of FPGA designs.

Skills

VHDL

System Verilog/UVM

Low-level embedded software (C)

FPGA design tools

Education

Degree level (or equivalent)

Tools

QuestaSim

ModelSim

Job description

Join MBDA as an FPGA Designer and contribute to the development of complex FPGA platforms for advanced defence and space manufacturing.

Job Title: FPGA Designer

Salary: Up to £75,000, depending on experience

Locations: Stevenage, Bristol & Bolton (relocation package available)

Working Arrangement: 4‑5 days per week on‑site, hybrid model. Options for compressed hours or part‑time.

Security Clearance: British Citizen or dual UK national with British citizenship. All successful candidates will undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS) at offer stage.

Benefits

• Company bonus: up to 21% of base salary
• Pension: 14% employer contribution (maximum total)
• Flexible working arrangements welcomed
• Enhanced parental leave: up to 26 weeks maternity, adoption, shared parental leave. Paternity, neonatal, fertility testing and treatments also enhanced.
• Facilities: subsidised meals, free car parking and more

The Opportunity

Our FPGA Design team is expanding rapidly. You will work on a wide range of projects, including advanced signal processing systems (image/radio), core embedded processing systems, and safety‑critical security systems.

Your role will involve all phases of the FPGA design life cycle, from requirement inception through to a validated design. You will influence design direction, leverage the latest technologies, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams using top FPGA vendor tools.

Responsibilities

All phases of the FPGA design life cycle – requirement gathering, architecture definition, HDL development, simulation, synthesis, place‑and‑route, verification, integration, and validation.

Qualifications

• Degree level (or equivalent) education
• Experience generating complex FPGA architectures and implementations using VHDL, Simulink, etc., targeting Xilinx, Intel, and Microsemi devices
• Verification expertise with VHDL and System Verilog/UVM test‑bench methodologies
• Proficiency with FPGA design tools and Mentor verification tools (QuestaSim & ModelSim)
• Strong skills in low‑level embedded software (C) for FPGA integration
• High‑standard documentation and design configuration

Additional Information

• Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior
• Employment Type: Full‑time
• Job Function: Engineering and Information Technology
• Industry: Defence and Space Manufacturing