Location: Fareham, Hampshire (Hybrid Working Available)
Salary: £87,000 + bonus
Contract: Permanent
Visa Sponsorship is available
We’re recruiting for a Principal Digital IC Design Engineer on behalf of a high-growth semiconductor organisation operating at the forefront of advanced electronics. This is a senior individual contributor role, ideal for a recognised technical expert who wants to drive digital IC innovation while influencing architecture, methodology and best practice across complex ASIC and MCU developments.
You’ll play a key role in shaping next-generation digital designs used in safety-critical and high-performance applications, working across multidisciplinary and global engineering teams.
The Role
This position focuses on technical leadership across digital IC development, from architecture definition through to silicon validation.
As a Principal Engineer, you’ll provide deep technical expertise, guide design decisions, and act as a key contributor to complex projects, while mentoring engineers and influencing engineering standards across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
Define and influence digital architecture based on system and product requirements
Lead complex digital design, implementation, verification and validation activities
Drive performance, power and area optimisation across ASIC and MCU designs
Act as a technical authority for digital IC design methodologies and best practices
Contribute to and review RTL design, verification strategies and sign-off processes
Support IP development, integration and evaluation of third-party IP
Collaborate closely with analogue, software, systems and backend teams globally
Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineers across the team
Support silicon bring-up, debug, validation and failure analysis
Contribute to EDA tool evaluation and continuous improvement of design flows Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Essential:
Degree-qualified (BEng/MEng) in Electronics, Engineering or related discipline
Significant experience in digital or mixed-signal IC design (ASIC preferred)
Strong expertise across the full digital IC design lifecycle (specification to silicon)
Proven track record of delivering complex digital ICs or subsystems
Deep understanding of RTL design, verification methodologies and timing closure
Experience with low-power design techniques and optimisation
Strong knowledge of EDA tools and digital design flows
Experience in silicon debug and validation
Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to influence technical decisions Desirable:
Exposure to mixed-signal environments
Familiarity with full ASIC front-end and back-end flows
Knowledge of IP integration and lifecycle management
Scripting/automation experience (e.g. Python)
Experience with tools such as JIRA and Confluence Why Apply?
Salary of £87,000 plus annual bonus
Flexible hybrid working (typically 3 days on-site in Fareham)
Senior technical role with significant influence on product architecture
Opportunity to work on cutting-edge semiconductor technologies
Collaborative, innovation-driven engineering environment
Strong benefits package including pension, private medical and dental cover
Clear progression path within a growing semiconductor organisation
Visa Sponsorship available For more information or to apply, contact:
Lewis Phillips
(phone number removed)
(url removed)
Salary description
£80000.00 - £87000.00 per year