Technical Lead, FPGA/Digital Electronics

Introduction

We are looking for an engineering leader with a strong background in FPGA and electronics to join our team developing some of the world’s most advanced communication systems. Our company has a rich history in satellite, cellular and private network communications, and we are expanding our capabilities to include innovative new communications systems in the fields of Low Earth Orbit Satellites and High-Altitude Platform Systems. We want you to be part of this journey. Your core role will be to lead development in these areas using your expertise in FPGA, signal processing and board-level electronics. You will work with business developers to understand technology trends to develop and exploit market opportunities, as well as inspiring your colleagues to develop technology breakthroughs that add real value for our customers.

What we can offer

You’re likely to have far more variety in your work here than in your current role: Cambridge Consultants have a wide range of clients across wireless, telecoms, audio, and semiconductor – from blue chips to start-ups. Some are looking to optimise their existing technologies, while others come with a vision to develop something entirely new and unexpected. You will be implementing advances in technology, and investigating novel technologies that could enable new products for our current and future clients.

You won’t be working alone to reach these goals. We have a friendly and supportive culture and a passion for solving technical challenges.

Role description

Our work ranges from high volume consumer applications to aerospace and satellite communications. You will be part of the Digital Systems Group within the Telecoms Business Unit where your work will focus on FPGA, ASIC, and high-performance board-level electronics design to deliver cutting-edge technology. Our group works closely with other disciplines, both engineering and scientific. Project team sizes tend to be small, giving you lots of responsibility, and you will work with and learn from a team of highly skilled software, signal processing, AI, test, and RF engineers. Your role will involve specification, architecture and technical leadership on projects, whilst contributing to the future technology direction of the department and the company.

Examples of our projects are:

• The world’s largest commercial airborne antenna
• The world’s lowest power voice detection system
• Communications system for a swarm of warehouse robots
• Satellite phone handsets

Requirements

Essential:

• An excellent degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related subject
• FPGA or ASIC architecture, design and verification, including:
• System engineering and partition
• IP Design, Packaging and Integration
• Xilinx Vivado or Altera Quartus
• Verilog, SystemVerilog
• Timing Closure
• Self-checking/Automated Testbenches integrated into CI
• Electronic design experience including high-speed design and high-level layout

Desirable:

• Technical leadership experience
• Knowledge of radio frequency systems
• Embedded software and scripting
• Understanding of Digital Signal Processing and its applications in RF
• A passion for understanding and developing new technologies
• Enthusiasm for mentoring more junior engineers
• Tools:
• GitLab
• Altium (PCB)
• Hyperlynx (SI)
• Doors (Next)
• VHDL, UVM
• C(++), Tcl, Python

Why Cambridge Consultants?

Cambridge Consultants creates exciting and novel breakthroughs in technology and products. We help our clients achieve the kind of game-changing leap forward that will transform their whole business. We have one of the world’s largest independent wireless development teams and a record of world-first wireless technology breakthroughs.

Expertise is broad, covering critical challenges and opportunities such as regulatory changes, millimetre wave (mmW) spectrum release to boost bandwidth, quantum key distribution (QKD) for network security and AI-enabled network traffic management. We are also working on a range of further solutions, including the delivery of better location accuracy for emergency services and improved control and safety for uncrewed aircraft systems.

At the heart of what we do are talented and motivated multi-disciplinary teams empowered to create cutting edge technologies and systems to solve difficult problems for our clients.

We recognise and celebrate individual talent, and we understand the importance of letting individuals be just that. Our people are here to do the best work of their lives, and our job is to provide the platform for them to do it. That means letting people pursue the projects that interest them and develop their career in whatever direction they choose.

Equal Opportunities

Cambridge Consultants is a workplace where everyone is welcome. When the brightest minds come together and feel included, that’s when we develop the most important technology breakthroughs. We believe that equality can only flourish when everyone feels involved and has a sense of belonging. We welcome and value all people regardless of their characteristics and encourage applications from all backgrounds and dimensions of society.

Future prospects

Cambridge Consultants is committed to developing its employees’ careers and has a flexible policy for individual capabilities and preferences. Promotion is linked to merit.