Hardware Design Engineer – FPGA Systems
8 days ago
Cambridge
Hardware Design Engineer – FPGA Systems Location: Cambridge Employment Type: Permanent Ampere Recruitment is partnering with a leading European developer to identify a Hardware Design Engineer to join a small, highly skilled R&D team advancing next-generation power converter technology. This position focuses on the design, integration, and validation of FPGA-based control hardware used in high-performance power electronics platforms. You’ll play a central role in developing complex digital and mixed-signal circuits, bringing designs from concept and schematic through to prototype and verification. It’s a hands-on hardware role, ideal for an engineer who enjoys lab work, real-world testing, and working closely with embedded and power electronics specialists to create robust, production-ready systems. Key Responsibilities • Design and develop FPGA-based hardware for real-time control and signal processing., • Create and maintain schematics, PCB layouts, and component selections using modern EDA tools (e.g. Altium)., • Verify and validate hardware performance using oscilloscopes, logic analysers, and power test equipment., • Support FPGA engineers with board-level integration, timing closure, and signal-integrity reviews., • Collaborate with embedded software and power design teams to ensure system-level compatibility., • Conduct design reviews, generate documentation, and maintain version control for hardware releases. Qualifications & Experience Essential: • Degree in Electronics, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline., • Proven experience in FPGA-based hardware design and digital circuit development., • Proficiency in schematic capture, PCB layout, and hardware bring-up/testing., • Solid understanding of high-speed digital design, signal integrity, and EMC., • Experience using standard lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analysers, power supplies, etc.). Desirable: • Familiarity with VHDL/Verilog and FPGA toolchains (AMD/Xilinx – Vivado, Vitis)., • Understanding of power electronics fundamentals and gate-drive/interface circuitry., • Experience with Matlab/Simulink for control algorithm validation., • Knowledge of Ethernet/EtherCAT, SPI, and CAN interfaces., • Scripting experience (Python, TCL) for test automation or hardware configuration. Why Apply? You’ll join a forward-thinking engineering group developing cutting-edge converter and control hardware for renewable energy and grid-connected applications. Expect technical autonomy, access to advanced test facilities, and the satisfaction of taking innovative designs from concept to field-tested reality. If you’re a hardware-focused FPGA engineer who enjoys practical design, validation, and problem-solving in the lab, Ampere Recruitment would love to hear from you. Contact Ampere Recruitment today to learn more or apply in confidence.