Firmware Engineer (FPGA)

Location: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom; on-site attendance 3–5 times per week. Potential infrequent travel to additional sites.

Company

hirify.global is a global engineering and technology consultancy delivering engineering solutions across aerospace, defence, automotive, energy, rail, IT, and other sectors.

What you will do

• Design, develop, and implement VHDL-based FPGA firmware for high-reliability embedded systems.
• Perform firmware architecture, coding, simulation, synthesis, testing, timing analysis, verification, and validation.
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, and software engineers to integrate FPGA solutions into broader system architectures.
• Support system reviews, technical documentation, configuration management, and the full development lifecycle.
• Provide technical input and mentorship to junior engineers while maintaining design standards and best practices.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in firmware or FPGA design within defence, aerospace, or safety-critical systems.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, systems engineering, a related discipline, or equivalent military experience.
• Strong FPGA development experience, including VHDL coding, synthesis, timing closure, and simulation.
• Experience with Xilinx Vivado, Intel Quartus, or Mentor ModelSim.
• Understanding of embedded systems, digital design principles, hardware-software integration, and the full firmware lifecycle.
• Must hold full right to work in the UK and be eligible for or already hold SC Clearance.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with DO-254 or other safety-critical design standards.
• Experience developing defence- or aerospace-grade hardware.
• Knowledge of Python or TCL for automation.
• Experience with configuration management tools such as Git or SVN.

Culture & Benefits

• Ongoing learning, mentoring, and a personalised career development path.
• Exposure to diverse engineering projects and industries.
• Private medical insurance, life insurance, and a pension scheme.
• Cycle and tech scheme plus an employee assistance programme.
• Social events, regular gatherings, team-building activities, and flexible working where the role permits.

Hiring process

• Security-clearance onboarding includes completion of Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks.
• Security-clearance requirements and eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.