Contract Firmware Architect Outside IR35 Remote/Edinburgh £7585p/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.