Senior 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 Senior Firmware Engineer (FPGA)(m/f/d) supporting our Surgical R&D Engineering Organization, you will contribute to the development of FPGA-based firmware solutions for advanced ophthalmic surgical systems in Erlangen, Germany. You will work closely with hardware, software, and system engineering teams to deliver innovative, high-quality, and regulatory-compliant medical devices that improve patients' vision and quality of life.

In this role, a typical day will include:

• Developing FPGA firmware architecture, requirements, and technical designs for cutting-edge surgical vision care systems
• Designing and implementing FPGA firmware using VHDL and/or SystemVerilog, including deterministic and timing-critical functions such as video processing pipelines and control logic
• Supporting hardware-firmware integration activities and collaborating with cross-functional engineering teams to ensure robust system performance
• Defining and executing verification and validation activities while maintaining coding standards, quality gates, and firmware development best practices
• Supporting CI/CD workflows, lab validation activities, AI-enabled engineering processes, and continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring compliance with medical device development standards and lifecycle processes

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO ALCON:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
• 6+ years of FPGA/firmware development experience
• Fluent English and intermediate German language skills
• Residence within commuting distance of the Erlangen site or willingness to relocate
• Strong expertise in FPGA development using VHDL/SystemVerilog and FPGA SoCs (e.g., Xilinx)
• Experience with hardware-firmware integration, system-level debugging, and laboratory validation environments
• Programming skills in C/C++ and Python
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments and collaborating with distributed, multi-location engineering teams

NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience in regulated or safety-critical industries such as medical devices, automotive, or aerospace
• Familiarity with medical device firmware development lifecycle processes
• Experience with video/image processing pipelines and high-speed interfaces (e.g., LVDS, CoaXPress)
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing environments, and advanced hardware debugging

HOW YOU CAN THRIVE AT ALCON:

• Contribute to breakthrough technologies that help surgeons improve patients' vision around the world
• Work on complex technical challenges in a collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering environment
• Enjoy professional development opportunities, technical growth, and the chance to influence next-generation medical device innovation

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