Principal ASIC Design Engineer

Principal ASIC Design Engineer Overview

This is an opportunity to join a successful British technology business that designs computing platforms used by a wide range of developers, educators, engineers, and hobbyists around the world. The company is investing further in its internal ASIC capability to support an ambitious product roadmap, and this position sits within that expanding effort. It is a role for an experienced IC design professional who enjoys taking responsibility, working independently within a close-knit team, and contributing across the full silicon development process.

You would be part of a small ASIC group working on next-generation silicon products. The work spans the entire lifecycle of a chip, giving you exposure to architecture, specification, design, verification, implementation, test, and qualification. The environment is described as highly collaborative, with a strong leadership team and a positive working culture.

What you would do

• Take full ownership of front-end ASIC development tasks, starting with specification and continuing through design, verification, and implementation.
• Define, configure, and integrate IP and system-level functionality so that the overall chip architecture meets product goals.
• Lead verification planning and execution for complex SoC and MCU designs.
• Work closely with software engineers to ensure the hardware platform integrates smoothly with the software stack.
• Support FPGA development platforms that are used for software development and pre-silicon validation.
• Collaborate with implementation engineers to solve issues related to timing, power consumption, and physical design constraints.
• Contribute to the wider ASIC flow, helping drive the product through to successful delivery.

What the company is looking for

• Substantial experience, typically 10+ years, in SoC or MCU architecture and design.
• Evidence of having delivered at least one successful silicon tape-out, with architectural ownership of either a full chip or a major subsystem.
• Deep knowledge of modern microcontroller and processor architectures, including real-time operation and deterministic interrupt handling.
• Experience with low-power design techniques and memory hierarchies involving Flash and SRAM.
• Familiarity with common peripheral and interface standards such as SPI, I²C, UART, USB, ADC/DAC, timers, and programmable I/O fabrics.
• Broad understanding of SoC architecture, including AXI, AHB, and APB interconnects, cache systems, DMA, memory controllers, security architecture, and the integration of operating-system-class subsystems alongside real-time domains.
• Practical appreciation of chip implementation realities, including RTL work in SystemVerilog, verification approaches such as UVM, formal methods, emulation, and FPGA-based validation, as well as DFT, timing closure, power analysis, and physical design limitations.
• Ability to work with scripting languages such as Bash, Python, or Tcl.
• Someone who is comfortable working autonomously while also collaborating effectively with like-minded colleagues.
• Full-time onsite attendance in Cambridge is required.

What is offered

• An excellent compensation package.
• A range of additional non-monetary benefits.
• The chance to join a respected technology company with a global footprint and a strong focus on innovative computing platforms.
• Exposure to the complete silicon development flow and the opportunity to influence next-generation products directly.
• A collaborative team setting with strong leadership and a supportive culture.
• The chance to join the business as it enters its next stage of growth.

How to apply

For further information, candidates are invited to contact Rachel Mason, Business Manager in Semiconductors at IC Resources. The posting also provides an application route via the “Apply Now” option and indicates that applicants can submit their CV through the recruiter’s site.

Contact details shown on the page include Rachel Mason’s phone number and email address for direct enquiries.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

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