FPGA Engineer; Power Supplies

FPGA Engineer (Power Supplies) – Diamond Light Source (Harwell, Oxfordshire)

Salary: £41,414 to £45,510 (Discretionary range to £52,337)

Employment: 3‑Year Fixed Term, Full time / Flexible hours considered, Hybrid working available minimum 4 days onsite per week

Reference: 11778

Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, a large scientific facility providing intense beams of X-rays, infrared and ultraviolet light for cutting‑edge research. We are undergoing a major upgrade, Diamond‑II, which will bring new machine and beamlines, upgraded optics, detectors, and computing.

We need an FPGA Engineer to develop firmware for the next‑generation power supplies for the Diamond‑II upgrade. The contract is 3‑year fixed term.

• Develop, maintain, and debug HDL code for Xilinx FPGAs in Vivado, implementing full‑cycle firmware for Diamond magnet power supplies, including feedback control, filtering, and interlock handling using state machines.
• Design and integrate interfaces to peripherals such as ADCs, DACs, SRAM, Flash memory, sensors, and microcontrollers.
• Test and verify FPGA designs through simulation test benches and on‑hardware validation using logic analysers.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers and the Control Group to optimise performance, resolve issues, and develop reliable Ethernet‑based control interfaces.
• Review, refactor, and document HDL code in line with Diamond standards, ensuring proper version control and maintainability.
• Contribute to electronic circuit design, simulation (SPICE, MATLAB), PCB design, and prototype testing to support FPGA‑based control system development.

You will hold an appropriate Engineering or Science degree (Bachelors or Masters) or possess equivalent experience, with proven practical experience in an industrial or scientific environment relevant to this position.

• A solid theoretical and practical knowledge of HDL firmware development for FPGAs (preferably Xilinx), using VHDL or Verilog.
• Strong experience with simulation, verification, and validation tools for FPGA code.
• Experience of using code management, version control, and repository tools.
• Basic knowledge of electrical and electronic circuit principles, laboratory‑based testing and measurement techniques, and the use of electronic circuit simulation software such as LTspice, PSpice, or Simscape.
• Familiarity with microcontrollers, microprocessors, and programming languages including C, C++, or Python.
• Basic knowledge of linear control systems.
• A self‑motivated approach, demonstrating the ability to drive projects to completion, with meticulous attention to detail and a willingness to travel occasionally within the UK and overseas.

Diamond offers an exceptional benefits package to support staff in achieving a positive work/life balance. This includes 26 days annual leave plus Christmas closure, public holidays, 2 annual volunteering days and flexible working hours. We also offer an excellent defined benefit pension scheme. Staff have access to amenities on site including a nursery, cafés, a restaurant and sports and leisure facilities.

A relocation allowance may also be available where applicable.

Please use the online application process to apply and tell us why you believe you are suitable for this role.

Application requirements: Complete the mandatory application questionnaire and attach it under the ‘Publications List / Additional Documents’ section. Applications submitted without the completed questionnaire will not be considered.

This role does not meet the criteria for visa sponsorship except for people already sponsored before 04/04/24 or meeting new entrant criteria.

Closing date for applications: 25th January.

We are not an employment agency or recruiter; this posting is directly from Diamond Light Source.