Sheffield Office  

Once a powerhouse of the industrial revolution, Sheffield still leads the way in new tech and central engineering

Historically famous for its steel industry, Sheffield is a lively city with a growing tech sector and a sizable student population. Our Sheffield office is in a bustling area of the city on St Mary’s Gate, about a mile from the center. 

Location/ immediate surroundings  

We occupied three different buildings in Sheffield before moving to the current location in 2018. It’s in a modern high-rise building, spread out over three floors (half of the 4th floor and the whole of the 5th and 6th floors), and we have a good view over the city. There’s a reception for the whole building on the ground floor, and we have our own Arm-branded reception on the 5th floor.  

Work focus 

Our work mostly involves areas of Engineering that include CPU and GPU development. We work closely with Cambridge and a number of other global teams. The Sheffield office originally grew out of Infinite Designs, an eight-person consultancy start-up that spun out from Sheffield University in 1998. The spin-out was handling everything from training services to a solid-state video camera for motorbike racing. Arm acquired the company in 2000, and since then we’ve grown from eight people to around 120.

“The Sheffield office originally grew out of Infinite Designs, an eight-person consultancy start-up that spun out from Sheffield University in 1998.” 

Lunch and leisure time 

We’re quite centrally located, so most people go out for something to eat at lunchtime – there’s a good choice of cafes and restaurants nearby. If not, there are kitchen facilities on every floor, so it’s easy to bring our own lunch in too. Leisure-wise, there is a gym on the 6th floor, which is solely for Arm employees, and open 24/7. We organize weekly activities – Pilates, Yoga, Karate and Boxercise – which all staff are welcome to join in.  

Office culture 

There’s a good mix of people in the Sheffield office – from new graduates right through to people who’ve been here for 20 years. Sheffield has a lively social scene. There’s usually a Friday social when we either go out to the pub for a meal and drinks or get food delivered to the office. We also hold an annual Summer BBQ, a Christmas party and a Halloween party that’s always interesting! Team Arm is active in the local community – volunteering our time and skills, and raising funds for charities.  

Most people commute to the office, as Sheffield has a good public transport system – the Supertram covers most of the city. There’s also an 18-space carpark, as well as secure parking for bikes and a few charging points for electric vehicles. 

Local Tips?  

Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens and Weston Park are fairly nearby, and very nice for a walk. The area around Kelham Island is interesting – it was once the beating heart of Sheffield’s industry, but it’s gradually been regenerated with museums, bars, restaurants and cafes.