VHDL / FPGA Engineer – Contract

VHDL / FPGA Engineer – Contract Location: Hybrid Contract: Initial 3-month contract, with potential for additional project work IR35 Status: Inside IR35 Sector: Aerospace & Defence We are seeking an experienced VHDL / FPGA Engineer to join an engineering team working on projects within the aerospace and defence sector. The successful candidate will have strong experience in FPGA design and VHDL development, with a background in developing, integrating and testing digital hardware for safety-critical or high-reliability applications. The initial engagement will be for 3 months, with the potential for further project-based work depending on programme requirements and performance. Key Responsibilities * Design, develop and maintain FPGA-based digital systems using VHDL. * Develop and verify RTL designs for aerospace and defence applications. * Translate system and hardware requirements into robust FPGA implementations. * Undertake FPGA simulation, verification and debugging. * Support FPGA integration with surrounding hardware and embedded systems. * Develop and maintain test benches and verification environments. * Work with hardware, systems and software engineers to resolve technical issues. * Review designs, technical documentation and engineering requirements. * Support hardware bring-up, integration and fault finding. * Produce clear and accurate technical documentation. * Contribute to design reviews and technical investigations. * Support additional engineering projects as required. Essential Experience * Proven commercial experience as a VHDL / FPGA Engineer. * Strong knowledge of VHDL and RTL design. * Experience developing FPGA designs from requirements through to integration and verification. * Experience with FPGA simulation and debugging. * Experience with FPGA development tools such as AMD/Xilinx Vivado, Intel Quartus or equivalent. * Experience working with digital hardware and electronic systems. * Ability to read and interpret hardware schematics and technical specifications. * Strong understanding of digital electronics, synchronous design and timing. * Experience working within structured engineering development processes. * Previous experience within aerospace, defence or another highly regulated engineering environment. Desirable Experience * Experience with Xilinx, Intel/Altera or Microchip FPGAs. * Experience with VHDL-2008. * FPGA verification and testbench development. * Experience with ModelSim, Questa or equivalent simulation tools. * Knowledge of DO-254, DEF STAN or other aerospace/defence development standards. * Experience with high-speed interfaces and communications protocols. * Experience with FPGA-to-processor interfaces. * Experience with hardware-in-the-loop or system-level testing. * Experience working on safety-critical or mission-critical systems. * Knowledge of requirements management and configuration control. JBRP1_UKTJ