Sperton Global:
This assignment is managed by Sperton, responsible for sourcing, screening, and candidate evaluation. We manage the hiring process professionally on behalf of our customer.
Tasks
Location: Bristol, UK | Onsite initially (approx. 1 month), then Hybrid
Contract Duration: 12 Months (Extension review after 6 months)
Candidate Location: Europe & UK (must be open to travel)
Note: Candidates must hold a valid passport or visa allowing travel to the UK.
About the Role:
We are supporting a leading semiconductor innovator in hiring an experienced SoC Functional Validation Engineer to work on next-generation System-on-Chip platforms. This role focuses on functional validation and bring-up of complex SoCs featuring high-end ARM CPUs and advanced high-speed interfaces, from pre-silicon to post-silicon stages.
You will work closely with architecture, RTL, electrical characterization, and firmware teams to ensure first-time-right silicon readiness.
Key Responsibilities:
Perform functional validation and bring-up of next-generation SoC platforms based on high-end ARM processors.
Execute interface bring-up and validation across LPDDR, PCIe, Ethernet, HBM, CPUs, Coherent Mesh, and low-speed IOs (UART, I2C, I3C, SPI).
Develop and execute bare-metal C test cases for SoC validation and debug.
Debug and validate designs using FPGA-based HAPS / Zebu emulation platforms and transition to silicon-based target hardware.
Design, enhance, and maintain validation test infrastructure and frameworks.
Analyze failures, root-cause issues across hardware and firmware layers, and drive resolution.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Architects, RTL Verification, Electrical Test & Characterization, and Production Firmware teams.
Support silicon bring-up milestones, validation reviews, and readiness for production handoff.
Contribute to documentation, validation plans, and best practices for SoC bring-up and debug.
Requirements
Essential Skills & Experience:
Strong hands-on experience in Embedded C for low-level validation and debug.
Proven experience validating high-end ARM-based SoCs.
Solid understanding of ARM cache-coherent interconnects and CPU subsystems.
Hands-on validation of high-speed interfaces such as PCIe (up to Gen6), LPDDR5, HBM3, and die-to-die links.
Experience working on pre-silicon (emulation) and post-silicon (real hardware) platforms.
Strong debugging skills across hardware, firmware, and system-level issues.
Desirable Skills:
Python scripting for test automation and validation flows.
Direct experience with silicon bring-up and early hardware validation.
Development or debugging of high-speed interface device drivers.
Experience in complex, multi-die or mesh-based SoC architectures.
Validate next-gen ARM-based SoCs, drive silicon bring-up, and work hands-on with cutting-edge high-speed interfaces in a global semiconductor program.
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