Principal Firmware Engineer (FPGA) (m/f/d) – Medical Devices

At Alcon, we are driven by the meaningful work we do to help people see brilliantly. We innovate boldly, champion progress, and act with speed as the global leader in eye care. Here, you'll be recognized for your commitment and contributions and see your career like never before. Together, we go above and beyond to make an impact in the lives of our patients and customers. We foster an inclusive culture and are looking for diverse, talented people to join Alcon.

WaveLight GmbH in Erlangen is a world leader in the development and production of innovative laser systems for use in eye surgery. WaveLight's laser and diagnostic systems enable highly precise and minimally invasive correction of refractive errors. Since 2009, WaveLight has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Alcon, a leading global ophthalmic company.

As a Principal Firmware Engineer (FPGA) (m/f/d) supporting our Surgical R&D Engineering Organization, you will lead the architecture, development, and validation of FPGA-based firmware solutions for advanced ophthalmic surgical systems in Erlangen, Germany. You will play a critical role in delivering innovative, high-quality, and regulatory-compliant medical device products that help improve patients' vision and quality of life.

In this role, a typical day will include:

• Leading FPGA firmware architecture, requirements definition, and technical design for next-generation medical device platforms
• Developing and maintaining FPGA firmware using VHDL and/or SystemVerilog, including timing-critical and deterministic logic such as video processing pipelines and control systems
• Driving hardware-firmware integration activities and collaborating with system, hardware, software, and verification teams to deliver robust end-to-end solutions
• Defining and executing verification and validation strategies, ensuring firmware quality through coding standards, linting rules, testing frameworks, and quality gates
• Supporting modern CI/CD workflows, development automation, AI-enabled engineering practices, and continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring compliance with medical device development processes and regulatory standards

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO ALCON:

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• Residence within commuting distance of the Erlangen site or willingness to relocate
• Fluent English communication skills and intermediate German language skills
• Minimum 7 years of FPGA and firmware development experience, including at least 2 years in a technical leadership role
• Expert knowledge of FPGA architecture, digital design, and system-level firmware development
• Advanced experience with VHDL and/or SystemVerilog
• Hands-on experience with Xilinx/AMD Zynq UltraScale+ SoC, including AXI interconnect, PS/DDR integration, and Vivado toolchain.
• Proven experience leading distributed and cross-functional engineering teams
• Strong understanding of firmware verification, validation, and quality assurance methodologies
• Excellent analytical thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and communication skills

NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience in regulated industries such as medical devices, automotive, aerospace, or other safety-critical environments
• Experience with Yocto/QNX/OpenEmbedded build systems and Zynq UltraScale+ PS/PL co-development.
• Strong understanding of embedded systems and system-level architecture
• Experience defining firmware strategies and influencing technical roadmaps
• Hands-on experience with complex hardware-firmware integration activities
• Experience developing verification strategies for safety-critical applications
• Proven success driving CI/CD adoption, engineering productivity improvements, and development process optimization

HOW YOU CAN THRIVE AT ALCON:

• Lead the development of innovative technology that enables surgeons worldwide to improve patients' vision and quality of life
• Work with a highly skilled global engineering team while maintaining significant technical ownership and autonomy
• Benefit from challenging projects, professional growth opportunities, and a collaborative culture focused on innovation and continuous improvement

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