EnSilica is all about the people we employ; people who not only have immense engineering talent, but the drive and enthusiasm to apply it across a diverse range of challenging projects.
EnSilica is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
We measure our success by customer satisfaction and the quality of the solutions, services and designs we deliver. Our approach is to develop long-term relationships with our customers and encourage strong partnerships with our suppliers, while providing meaningful and challenging work for our staff in a friendly, professional working environment. The company is headquartered in Oxford, UK and has offices in India and Brazil.
What we Believe In
• Listen well and demonstrate humility
• Trust colleagues, assume good intent
• Collaborate across boundaries
• Seek out diverse thought and background
• Show empathy for others
Our Culture
Work Life Balance
Our Vision
- To be the premier application specific chipmaker in Europe.
- Through our flexibility, engineering excellence and quality focus, EnSilica strives to increase our customers’ competitiveness, through the use of custom silicon.
- To create a profitable, value creating company based on the design & supply of digital, analog and mixed signal IC’s.
- To be considered a great company by our key stakeholders – customers, suppliers and staff.
- To build value over the coming years that will deliver financial benefit to all staff through a stock-option scheme.
Our Values
- To treat our employees and contract staff with dignity, respect and equality.
- We understand the importance of diversity as a driver for innovation and success.
- To recognise and reward the contributions and accomplishments of our employees.
- To provide a dynamic and enjoyable working environment, where staff have the opportunity to work on varied, interesting and challenging projects.
- To continually strive for improvement through training and learning.
If you currently work in ASIC development and are ready to take your next career step then please send us your details. We are always looking for the brightest and best engineers in the country – people who can really make a difference.
Information for Recruitment Agencies
Please note that EnSilica does not accept unsolicited CVs or sales calls. Agencies should, therefore, not contact us on a speculative basis.
UK Opportunities
Senior/Principal Physical Design Engineer | UK Offices | ENS201027A
Position : Senior/Principal Physical Design Engineer
Job Ref. : ENS-201027A
Location : Oxford, Sheffield, Bristol or Wokingham Office – some working from home possible
As part of our ongoing expansion, EnSilica need to strengthen our ASIC Implementation team. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business.
The ideal candidate will have a strong academic record and 5-10 years experience in IC Physical Design (PD) using advanced digital ASIC development flows.
You will have a solid track-record and be familiar with the challenges of implementing complex ASIC/SoC designs from RTL to tapeout-ready GDSII, preferably in process nodes down towards 5nm.
The candidate should have customer and supplier-facing experience and excellent communication skills.
Key responsibilities
- Take full-flow ownership of all stages of the digital RTL-to-GDSII implementation flow for complex block-level or full-chip ASIC designs.
- Work closely with our customers and other EnSilica teams to deliver projects on-time and to the required performance and quality levels.
- Setup, run, and maintain EDA tool flows, as needed, for each stage of the development flow.
- Follow EnSilica’s ISO Quality Management System requirements for implementation, reviews, and reporting.
- Keep up to date with all aspects of advanced ASIC implementation methodology and best-practice to ensure that EnSilica’s expertise and services are always current and appropriate for each customer project.
Key Skills / Background
- 1st or 2.1 Electronics, Physics or relevant subject from a Tier 1 group University.
- 5-10 years experience in industry with a strong track record in Physical Design gained across several successful ASIC projects, and at process nodes down to ~7nm.
- Ability to quickly and efficiently solve problems, working both independently and with support from colleagues, our suppliers, and our customers where needed.
- Extensive hands-on experience with either Synopsys ICC1/2 or Cadence Innovus for block-level and/or full-chip physical design, preferably down to ~7nm FF.
- RTL synthesis using Design Compiler or Genus, including DFT/scan-insertion.
- Power-management implementation using UPF/CPF, including verification and power estimation.
- Timing closure and STA, including constraint development and verification.
- IR-drop/EM modelling, analysis and verification.
- Setup, use, and verification of RC extraction flows.
- Ability to setup, run, and debug DRC/LVS/ERC/DFM using at least one of the main EDA tool sets.
Desirable skills
- Team leadership or technical management.
- Experience in foundry tapeout.
- ASIC package development and package/die co-design.
- Foundry, Packaging, and IP supplier engagement and management.
Personal Skills
- Ability to take full ownership of a task from initial assignment through to successful completion and sign-off
- Quality-driven approach
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Self-motivated and adaptable
- Take ownership of problems
- Strong/Creative problem-solving skills
- Good team player
Principal Verification Engineer | UK Offices | ENS160308A
Location : Oxford, Sheffield, Bristol or Wokingham Office – some working from home possible
The Role
As part of our ongoing expansion, EnSilica need to strengthen our verification team. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business
With 10+ years experience in industry you will relish the opportunity of working on a diverse range of projects that will both challenge and develop your verification skills.
You will have an excellent understanding of different methodologies, but particularly SystemVerilog and UVM. Faced with a new project, you will have the ability to quickly assimilate the verification challenge and help define an effective (and pragmatic) verification strategy and gain the support of the end-customer for the chosen approach. You understand the importance of monitoring key metrics to assess progress and predict the end-point for the verification process.
As you rapidly build your verification skills through engagement on a broad range of projects you will have the opportunity to take on the role of verification lead, with responsibility for architecting the test environment and driving the other team members to deliver the agreed solution.
Ideally you will be familiar with both Mentor Questa and Cadence Incisive tools.
The key responsibilities and experience are summarized below:
Key Tasks / Responsibilities
- Verification specialist working on customer and internal projects – including as the verification lead.
- Provide high-class verification support to a wide range of projects using a range of advanced verification techniques including constrained random, coverage driven, assertion-based and formal methods.
- As a verification lead you would also be responsible for the development of a comprehensive verification strategy and plan, along with the architecting and development of the complete test environment.
- Active participation in the verification community to drive the introduction of new and effective techniques within our business – to help solve the verification challenges faced by our customers.
- To support business development by working with potential customers to understand their verification requirements and develop innovative technical solutions to achieve new design wins.
- Close working with our customers to build a strong relationship that results in repeat business.
Key Skills / Background
- 1st or 2.1 Electronics, Physics or Computer Science from a Tier 1 group University
- 10+ years experience in industry working on a variety of verification projects
- Extensive knowledge of verification methodologies particularly UVM and SystemVerilog
- Familiarity with constrained random verification methodologies, code coverage analysis and running regression tests
- Expert in the planning and implementation of verification infrastructures, test benches, models, assertions and functional tests in Verilog and SystemVerilog.
- Experience as verification lead on at least one project.
- Strong VHDL/Verilog RTL
Personal Skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong and effective presentation skills, able to operate at multiple levels including senior management
- Self motivated
- Take ownership of problems
- Creative problem solving
- Team player
RF/mm Silicon Test & Applications Engineer | UK Offices | EN-004833
Position: Senior/Principal RF/mmWave Silicon Test & Applications Engineer
Type: Permanent
Job Ref: EN-004833-HR
Location: UK: Oxford HQ (Milton Park)
EnSilica is a leading fabless IC design house with a consistent record of financial growth and technical excellence since its formation in 2001.
Our experienced silicon teams are able to deliver complete digital, RF and analog mixed-signal ASICs for our customers – from specification through to GDSII tape-out and production silicon.
We also provide high quality IC design services and are specialists in custom RF, analog and mixed signal IP block generation.
Our impressive record of success has been achieved working with customers ranging from start-ups to blue-chip companies.
The company is headquartered in the UK at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, with other UK offices in Wokingham, Sheffield, Cambridge and Bristol (Q3 22) and has international engineering offices in Bangalore, India and Porto Alegre, Brazil.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our workplace. We do not discriminate, and work to create an inclusive culture across our business
The role:
As part of our ongoing expansion, EnSilica are looking to strengthen our RF Analog and Mixed-Signal silicon evaluation and applications capability. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business.
Working attached to our Oxford office, the ideal candidate will be self-motivated, and be engaged in test, characterization and evaluation of RF, mmWave, Analog and mixed-signal silicon products. The role is key in getting Silicon products qualified and to the necessary standard to meet specification and be fit for volume production, and assisting customer applications.
The key responsibilities and experience are summarized below:
Key tasks / responsibilities:
- Working with silicon design engineers and other team members to plan and execute detailed bench level silicon test, characterisation and evaluation
- Produce documentation/presentation of data gathered from test. To include recording, processing and interpretation of data as necessary
- Work with product and production engineering in silicon operations to ensure smooth transfer of bench ATE to mass production test
- Work on RF/mmWave silicon product applications work as required by the relevant business unit
- Interface with marketing and engage in some customer facing activities, including writing application notes and customer support documents
- Contribute to the smooth running of an electronics laboratory through planning and collaboration with colleagues
Key skills / Background:
- Engineering degree in electronic engineering or equivalent qualification
- >5 years professional industry experience in a similar role
- Knowledge of wireless, wired, or optical communications systems
- Knowledge of RF circuits blocks functions and metrics; i.e. metrics for LNA, PA, mixers, modulators, oscillators, receivers, transmitters, phased-arrays etc.
- Knowledge of RF/mmWave, analog, and mixed signal electronic test equipment (spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, signal generators, ARBs, power supplies, DMMs, oscilloscopes, Logic Analysers etc.)
- Experience in RF/mmWave, analog/mixed-signal silicon testing and characterisation
- 1. Planning from design specification/datasheet
- 2. Bench level testing including manual and ATE design and programming
- 3. Compiling measurement and compliance reports
- 4. Accurate, detailed and organised data entry and management
- Experience of RF/mmWave silicon handover for production
- Experience in writing RF/mmWave/Analog silicon device application notes
- Knowledge of RF/mmWave electronic considerations; i.e. impedance matching, transmission lines, signal integrity, PCB materials and components
- PCB schematic design experience for silicon evaluation and applications; ability to guide PCB layout suitable for high frequency operation
- Programming skills ideally one or more of
- 5. Bench level ATE programming (Python, Labview), C/C++, VBA
- Problem solving and debug electronic bench skills
- Practical electronics laboratory skills: prototyping, soldering etc.
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Good IT skills; Windows, MS Office, Linux, version control
- Beneficial Experience:
- 6. microcontrollers (i.e. Arduino, Nucleo, Raspberry Pi etc)
- 7. software GUI development
Personal Skills
- Strong/Creative problem-solving skills
- Self-motivated and able to work under one’s own initiative
- Attention to detail
- Perseverance and tenacity to solve issues
- Organised and efficient with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- 8. Sound technical presentation skill
- 9. Good team player
- 10. Adaptable
RF/Analog/Mixed Signal Design Engineer | UK Offices | EN-017239
Position: RF, Analog, Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer
Type: Permanent
Job Ref: EN-017239-HR
Location: UK: Milton Park, Oxfordshire or Sheffield
EnSilica is a leading fabless IC design house with a consistent record of financial growth and technical excellence since its formation in 2001.
Our experienced silicon teams are able to deliver complete digital, RF and analog mixed-signal ASICs for our customers – from specification through to GDSII tape-out and production silicon.
We also provide high quality IC design services and are specialists in custom RF, analog and mixed signal IP block generation.
Our impressive record of success has been achieved working with customers ranging from start-ups to blue-chip companies.
The company is headquartered in the UK at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, with other UK offices in Wokingham, Sheffield, Cambridge and Bristol (Q2 22) and has international engineering offices in Bangalore, India and Porto Alegre, Brazil.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our workplace. We do not discriminate, and work to create an inclusive culture across our business
The role:
As part of our ongoing expansion, EnSilica are looking to strengthen our Analogue and Mixed-Signal IC design team. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business.
Working attached to our Oxford or Sheffield offices, the ideal candidate will be self-motivated, have a strong academic record with a sound understanding of design principles, and experience of multiple analog or mixed-signal IP/ASIC/SoC developments from definition to production.
The key responsibilities and experience are summarized below:
Key tasks / responsibilities:
- Detailed design and simulation of high accuracy analogue/mixed signal IC blocks – e.g. references, amplifiers, linear regulators, DC-DC converters, charge-pumps, switched or continuous time filters, DAC/ADC, LNA, PA, mixers, PLL blocks etc. – as well as the higher level integration of these circuits.
- Full involvement in RF/analog/mixed-signal circuit design flow from definition and specification to silicon validation and production handover
- IC design peer reviewing and team working
- Top level IP/IC/SoC analogue/mixed-signal performance and functional verification
- Planning and supervision of circuit physical implementation
- Post layout simulation and analog/mixed-signal block integration sign-off
- Definition and involvement in silicon evaluation and production test for analog/mixed signal blocks
- Involvement with system design and modelling
- Working with a multi-disciplined SoC design teams including digital, software, production, test and application engineers
- Working with marketing and some customer facing activities
Key skills / Background:
- Good Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Engineering or related discipline, relevant Analogue/Mixed-Signal IC design MSc or PhD preferred
- Experience in RFIC/Analogue/Mixed Signal schematic design and simulation in CMOS technologies
- > 2 years of experience design in custom analog/mixed signal circuits, specifically in one or more the following areas:
- 1. References
- 2. Regulators
- 3. Data converters
- 4. Drivers
- 5. DC-DC and power management building blocks
- 6. Filters and amplifiers
- 7. High voltage (positive/negative voltages) designs using BCD technology
- 8. High speed serial interfaces
- 9. Frequency synthesizer blocks
- 10. RFIC blocks
- Experience in IC layout and physical implementation
- Demonstrable experience of an IC/SoC design cycle from definition, design and verification to tape out and silicon measurement
- Experience in CAD tools specifically:
- 11. Cadence Virtuoso Platform: Schematic, Explorer/Assembler, Spectre/MMSIM, LayoutXL
- 12. Siemens/Mentor: Calibre xACT/xRC
- 13. Linux, Version control (Cliosoft SoS/SVN), MS Office
- Hands on knowledge of RF/Analogue/Mixed signal IC evaluation and test
- Up to date on RF/AMS IC design techniques and design methodologies
- Analog/mixed system modelling: e.g. SystemVerilog
- System design, modelling or data analysis using Matlab, Octave, Excel
- Knowledge or experience of DSP, Digital RTL, CMOS process/PDK development, RF/AMS IP delivery or RF/AMS production test would be beneficial
Personal Skills
- Strong/Creative problem-solving skills
- Self-motivated
- Attention to detail
- Perseverance and tenacity to solve issues
- Organised and efficient with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- 14. Sound technical presentation skill
- 15. Good team player
- 16. Adaptable
Brazil Opportunities
Senior Verification Engineer | Porto Alegre, Brazil | EN-210630
Position : Senior Verification Engineer
Job Ref. : EN-210630
Location : Porto Alegre, Brazil
The role
As part of our ongoing expansion, EnSilica needs to strengthen our verification team. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business.
With 5-10 years experience in industry you will relish the opportunity of working on a diverse range of projects that will both challenge and develop your verification skills.
You will have a good understanding of different methodologies, but particularly SystemVerilog and UVM. Faced with a new project, you will have the ability to quickly assimilate the verification challenge and help define an effective (and pragmatic) verification strategy and gain the support of the end-customer for the chosen approach. You understand the importance of monitoring key metrics to assess progress and predict the end-point for the verification process.
As you rapidly build your verification skills through engagement on a broad range of projects you will have the opportunity to take on the role of verification lead, with responsibility for architecting the test environment and driving the other team members to deliver the agreed solution.
Ideally you will be familiar with both Mentor Questa and Cadence Incisive tools.
Key Tasks & responsibilities
- Verification specialist working on customer and internal projects – sometimes as the verification lead.
- Provide high-class verification support to a wide range of projects using a range of advanced verification techniques including constrained random, coverage driven, assertion-based and formal methods.
- As a verification lead you would also be responsible for the development of a comprehensive verification strategy and plan, along with the architecting and development of the complete test environment.
- Active participation in the verification community to drive the introduction of new and effective techniques within our business – to help solve the verification challenges faced by our customers.
- Close working with our customers to build a strong relationship that results in repeat business.
Key skills & background
- Electronics, Physics or Computer Science from a Tier 1 group University
- 5-10 years experience in industry working on a variety of verification projects
- Extensive knowledge of verification methodologies particularly UVM and SystemVerilog
- Strong experience in the specification and implementation of verification infrastructures, test benches, models, assertions and functional tests in Verilog and SystemVerilog
- Familiarity with constrained random verification methodologies, code coverage analysis and running regression tests
- Strong VHDL/Verilog RTL
Personal Skills:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong and effective presentation skills, able to operate at multiple levels including senior management
- Self motivated
- Take ownership of problems
- Creative problem solving
- Team player
We offer a competitive salary, excellent working environment, matched contribution pension scheme, subsidised private healthcare scheme, meal tickets, life assurance and share options scheme.
Principal Verification Engineer | Porto Alegre, Brazil | EN-210630A
Position : Principal Verification Engineer
Job Ref. : EN-210630A
Location : Porto Alegre, Brazil
The role
As part of our ongoing expansion, EnSilica needs to strengthen our verification team. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business.
With 10+ years experience in industry you will relish the opportunity of working on a diverse range of projects that will both challenge and develop your verification skills.
You will have an excellent understanding of different methodologies, but particularly SystemVerilog and UVM. Faced with a new project, you will have the ability to quickly assimilate the verification challenge and help define an effective (and pragmatic) verification strategy and gain the support of the end-customer for the chosen approach. You understand the importance of monitoring key metrics to assess progress and predict the end-point for the verification process.
As you rapidly build your verification skills through engagement on a broad range of projects you will have the opportunity to take on the role of verification lead, with responsibility for architecting the test environment and driving the other team members to deliver the agreed solution.
Ideally you will be familiar with both Mentor Questa and Cadence Incisive tools
Key Tasks & responsibilities
- Verification specialist working on customer and internal projects – including as the verification lead.
- Provide high-class verification support to a wide range of projects using a range of advanced verification techniques including constrained random, coverage driven, assertion-based and formal methods.
- As a verification lead you would also be responsible for the development of a comprehensive verification strategy and plan, along with the architecting and development of the complete test environment.
- Active participation in the verification community to drive the introduction of new and effective techniques within our business – to help solve the verification challenges faced by our customers.
- To support business development by working with potential customers to understand their verification requirements and develop innovative technical solutions to achieve new design wins.
- Close working with our customers to build a strong relationship that results in repeat business.
Key skills & background
- Electronics, Physics or Computer Science from a Tier 1 group University
- 10+ years experience in industry working on a variety of verification projects
- Extensive knowledge of verification methodologies particularly UVM and SystemVerilog
- Familiarity with constrained random verification methodologies, code coverage analysis and running regression tests
- Expert in the planning and implementation of verification infrastructures, test benches, models, assertions and functional tests in Verilog and SystemVerilog.
- Experience as verification lead on at least one project.
- Strong VHDL/Verilog RTL
Personal Skills:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong and effective presentation skills, able to operate at multiple levels including senior management
- Self motivated
- Take ownership of problems
- Creative problem solving
- Team player
We offer a competitive salary, excellent working environment, matched contribution pension scheme, subsidised private healthcare scheme, meal tickets, life assurance and share options scheme.
SoC Design Engineer | Porto Alegre, Brazil | EN-210630B
Position : SoC Design Engineer
Job Ref. : EN-210630B
Location : Porto Alegre, Brazil
The role
As part of our ongoing expansion within the Cambridge office, EnSilica are looking to strengthen our front-end digital design team, by recruiting a principal level SoC Design Engineer. We are looking for bright candidates who have an enthusiasm and aptitude for working in this vital part of our business.
The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, have a strong academic record with a sound understanding of SoC design principles, and 10+ years’ experience in digital or mixed-signal SoC development.
The key responsibilities and experience are summarised below:
Key Tasks & responsibilities
- Take high level requirements and write chip or block level micro-architecture specifications.
- Ability to undertake die-sizing, power estimation, technology selection etc to define an optimal solution for a given IC development.
- Comfortable working with external suppliers (foundries, IP vendors, EDA companies) and proven experience in building strong relationships with the end customer and supporting the EnSilica sales team in developing winning proposals.
- Strong hands-on experience in RTL coding of modules, sub-system or full-chip (primarily Verilog or SystemVerilog)
- Selection and integration of 3rd party IP into a SoC design
- Ability to lead a digital team on a SoC project – mentoring and reviewing the work of colleagues and ensuring that code quality is at the highest level and consistent with coding guidelines and applicable quality processes.
- Chip level integration and liaising with implementation and physical design staff to ensure that the RTL code is optimised and aligned with the requirements of the back-end team.
Key skills & background
- Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering or related discipline.
- Extensive experience as a digital designer or digital lead in a number design of turn-key SoC developments, ideally across a range of application areas.
- A good understanding of the complete SoC flow from specification through to tape-out, validation and test.
- Good working knowledge of verification techniques and methodologies and proven ability to debug issues in a structured and timely way.
- Low power design expertise
Beneficial Skills:
- Experience of designing for automotive or safety critical applications would be an advantage.
- Good knowledge of DFT techniques and the impact on the RTL design
- VHDL coding knowledge
- Analog design knowledge or experience of working on mixed-signal SoC developments.
- Experience of FPGA design and associated tools
Personal Skills:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Adaptable
- Strong/Creative problem-solving skills
- Organised and efficient with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
- Good team player
- Self-motivated
- Take ownership of problems
We offer a competitive salary, excellent working environment, matched contribution pension scheme, subsidised private healthcare scheme, meal tickets, life assurance and share options scheme.