Principal Digital IC Design Engineer
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
01582 369359
lphillips@versorecruitment.com