Embedded Firmware & Intelligent Systems Engineer — PhD/Postdoctoral Development Programme

Disgrifiad o'r Cwmni

Advanced Embedded Systems & Intelligent Hardware Programme

Company Overview

Novomorphic is a new semiconductor design venture backed by Cadence Design Systems, Welsh Government, and CSA Catapult. We have been established to build critical semiconductor design capability in the UK.

Our focus is advanced integrated circuit and electronic system design, with particular strength in low-power intelligent hardware, edge AI, digital design, mixed-signal systems, and compound semiconductor technologies.

We are building Novomorphic from the ground up. That means every engineer who joins us will help shape the company, its technical capability, and its culture. We value technical excellence, ownership, curiosity, collaboration, and practical delivery.

The Opportunity

This is not a conventional graduate role. It is a structured industry development programme for PhD-level engineers who want to build deep expertise in embedded firmware, low-level software, and intelligent hardware systems.

You will work on real embedded systems and hardware/software integration challenges, collaborating with experienced firmware, software, FPGA, semiconductor, and systems engineers. You will contribute to internal platforms, reusable software components, innovation activity, and customer-facing engineering projects.

The role is suited to candidates with strong research ability who want to apply it in a commercial engineering environment where quality, pace, and practical delivery matter.

Role Overview

Novomorphic is seeking talented PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers to join our growing Firmware and Software Engineering team.

You will contribute to the development, testing, optimisation, and validation of embedded firmware and software for low-power intelligent hardware systems. Target areas include edge AI, embedded acceleration, FPGA-connected systems, communications, sensing, secure systems, and future computing platforms.

The role combines hands-on software engineering, hardware/software co-design, system-level thinking, and exposure to advanced semiconductor and embedded technologies.

What You Will Do

Firmware and Embedded Software Development

• Develop, test, optimise, and validate embedded firmware and software systems.
• Write low-level software for intelligent hardware, embedded processors, FPGA-connected platforms, and semiconductor-based systems.
• Work with C/C++, Python, scripting tools, embedded Linux, and other relevant development environments.
• Support bare-metal, RTOS, and Linux-based embedded development where required by the project.
• Debug and optimise systems across hardware and software boundaries, including bring-up, integration, profiling, and validation.
• Develop software optimised for performance, robustness, maintainability, and low-power operation.
• Build automation, scripting, and engineering tools to improve development workflows.
• Contribute to hardware/software co-design, embedded system integration, and platform-level optimisation.

Research and Innovation

• Develop reusable software components, firmware modules, and internal engineering IP.
• Investigate emerging technologies in edge AI, embedded intelligence, secure systems, heterogeneous compute, and intelligent hardware architectures.
• Contribute to feasibility studies, technical investigations, prototypes, and innovation projects.
• Translate research ideas into practical software and system-level engineering outputs.

Collaboration and Technical Growth

• Work closely with firmware, software, FPGA, semiconductor, and systems engineers.
• Participate in technical reviews, architecture discussions, debug sessions, and engineering problem-solving activities.
• Build capability across embedded development, hardware/software integration, system optimisation, and software verification.
• Progress towards independent technical ownership within 6–12 months.

What You Will Develop

Through the programme, you will build practical capability in:

• Embedded firmware development
• Low-level and performance-critical software engineering
• Hardware/software integration and co-design
• Embedded Linux and real-time operating environments
• Bare-metal and RTOS-based development
• Resource-constrained and low-power embedded systems
• Microcontroller and embedded processor architectures
• FPGA and semiconductor platform integration
• Debugging, profiling, testing, and validation methodologies
• Scripting, automation, and software tooling
• Edge AI deployment and embedded acceleration concepts
• System-level optimisation for intelligent hardware platforms
• Cross-disciplinary engineering collaboration and technical ownership

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for technically strong, research-driven candidates with a clear interest in embedded systems, low-level software, firmware, and intelligent hardware technologies.

Essential Requirements

• PhD or postdoctoral experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Computer Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Embedded Systems
  • Computer Science with strong embedded, low-level, systems, or hardware relevance
  • Software Engineering with strong embedded or systems relevance
  • A closely related field
• Strong understanding of software engineering and embedded systems fundamentals.
• Evidence of serious hands-on embedded systems, firmware, low-level software, hardware/software integration, or systems programming experience.
• Interest in firmware, embedded software, and intelligent hardware systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work across multidisciplinary engineering domains.
• Clear communication and willingness to document technical work properly.

Desirable Experience

Experience through research, publications, prototypes, coursework, open-source work, or practical development in areas such as:

• Embedded firmware or low-level software development
• C, C++, Python, C#, Tcl, Bash, or scripting for automation
• Embedded Linux, RTOS, or bare-metal development
• Hardware/software co-design
• Microcontrollers, embedded processors, or ARM-based platforms
• FPGA interaction or digital hardware integration
• Device drivers, board bring-up, or hardware abstraction layers
• Communication protocols and hardware interfaces
• Debugging, profiling, verification, or validation environments
• Edge AI, embedded acceleration, or AI/ML deployment on constrained platforms
• Security-oriented systems or secure architectures
• Real-time or resource-constrained systems
• Signal processing or intelligent embedded systems

Familiarity with any of the following tools or environments is useful but not essential:

• Embedded Linux environments
• Git and software version control
• Visual Studio Code or similar IDEs
• GCC, Clang, CMake, Make, or similar build systems
• Python development environments
• MATLAB / Simulink
• FPGA development toolchains
• Debugging and test environments, including JTAG, logic analysers, oscilloscopes, or similar tools

Previous industry experience is not required, but strong hands-on embedded or low-level software experience is important.

We Value Engineers Who

• Take ownership and follow through.
• Enjoy solving difficult technical problems.
• Are curious, practical, and willing to learn quickly.
• Can work independently without disappearing into a silo.
• Collaborate well with engineers from different disciplines.
• Communicate clearly, especially when raising risks or blockers.
• Are comfortable in a start-up environment where priorities can move quickly.
• Want to build real semiconductor and embedded systems capability, not just write papers.

What Success Looks Like

Early success in this role means:

• Strong engagement with onboarding and technical development.
• Good progress in embedded firmware and software engineering workflows.
• High-quality delivery on assigned development, testing, research, or documentation tasks.
• Active participation in technical reviews, architecture discussions, and multidisciplinary engineering problem-solving.
• Growing confidence in debugging, integration, optimisation, and hardware/software co-design.
• Meaningful contribution to reusable software components, internal IP, innovation activity, and customer projects.
• Clear progression towards independent technical ownership within 6–12 months.

Why Join Novomorphic?

At Novomorphic, you will:

• Work on next-generation intelligent hardware and embedded systems technologies.
• Learn directly from experienced firmware, software, FPGA, and semiconductor engineers.
• Build highly sought-after embedded firmware and low-level software expertise.
• Contribute to real customer projects, internal platforms, and reusable engineering IP.
• Gain exposure to low-power, intelligent, mixed-signal, digital, and compound semiconductor technologies.
• Help strengthen the UK semiconductor and embedded systems ecosystem.
• Build a long-term career in firmware, embedded systems, and intelligent hardware development.

Benefits

Novomorphic’s benefits package includes:

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance
• Additional benefits tailored to employee needs

Location and Working Model

This role is based in Cardiff, Wales. Working arrangements may vary depending on project and business requirements.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK or be eligible for sponsorship, where applicable.