Contract Firmware Architect - Outside IR35 - Remote/Edinburgh - £75-85p/h

Location: Primarily Remote (occasional site visits to Edinburgh)
Rate: £75 - £85 per hour (Outside IR35)
Contract Length: 12 months
IR35 Status: Outside IR35

Must be eligible for SC clearance (UK residency minimum 5 years)

A long-term contract opportunity has opened up with an advanced electronics consultancy working on multiple next-generation embedded systems programmes across aerospace, communications, and secure technologies. They are looking for an experienced Firmware Architect to take ownership of FPGA/SoC architecture and delivery on a portfolio of technically demanding projects.

This role would suit a contractor who enjoys working across the full development lifecycle and is confident interfacing with multidisciplinary teams.

Key Responsibilities:

* Define and lead FPGA/firmware architecture for complex embedded platforms

* Develop reusable, modular VHDL/Verilog designs with traceability to system-level requirements

* Plan and execute verification strategies using testbenches or HVLs (SystemVerilog/C++)

* Collaborate with systems, hardware, and software teams to ensure integration readiness

* Own firmware delivery across multiple projects, including documentation and reviews

* Contribute to internal tooling improvements (simulation workflows, scripting, versioning)

Technical Profile:

* Strong background in FPGA/SoC development using VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog

* Experience with one or more major FPGA toolchains (Xilinx, Intel, Lattice, etc.)

* Confident designing testbenches and working with verification methodologies (e.g. UVM, OSVVM, UVVM)

* Hands-on use of simulation tools (ModelSim, QuestaSim, Vivado)

* Requirements-led development (e.g. DOORS or structured specs)

* Comfortable working within secure, safety-critical, or compliance-heavy environments

Desirable Experience:

* Exposure to image or signal processing implementations

* Familiarity with Linux-based development or MATLAB

* Understanding of object-oriented design principles and scripting (Python, TCL)

This is a 12-month contract, which offers both technical autonomy and the opportunity to work on secure, high-impact systems. Ideal for experienced firmware engineers who enjoy end-to-end project delivery, modular design, and clean system integration.

If you have the skills required for this Firmware Architect role please get in touch with an up-to-date copy of your CV