Senior FPGA & Real-Time Control Engineer

Qluster; Paris; Híbrido; EUR 85.000 - 120.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Hybrid work in Paris

Health insurance (50% employer-funded)

Transportation reimbursement (50%)

Descripción de la vacante

Qluster SAS in Paris is seeking a Senior FPGA & Real-Time Control Engineer to develop the real-time digital core of QRC prototypes and define the control architecture for a uFTQC platform. You will work with quantum scientists, optical engineers, and software developers to translate requirements into robust FPGA-based systems.

The role focuses on high-speed data acquisition, deterministic control, and FPGA firmware.

Formación

• Degree in electronic engineering, electrical engineering or related field.
• Ownership of FPGA-based systems from requirements through validation.
• Strong proficiency in VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog including timing and clock-domain crossings.
• Hands-on experience with ADCs/DACs, clocking, interfaces and host software.
• Solid foundations in digital signal processing and real-time data paths.
• Experience debugging hardware with scopes and analyzers; Python for automation.

Responsabilidades

• Define real-time system requirements: sampling rate, throughput, latency, timing accuracy, synchronization and interfaces.
• Develop FPGA firmware: acquisition, DSP, filtering, synchronization, feedback/feedforward and data-flow control.
• Integrate ADCs/DACs and timing: bring up converters, clock distribution, validate interfaces and timing.
• Choose FPGA platforms: assess SoC and RFSoC solutions and document trade-offs.
• Connect hardware and host software: build documented control interfaces for experiments.
• Validate performance: latency measurements, firmware tests and issue troubleshooting.
• Integrate lab prototypes into rack-mounted electronics and migration plans.
• Maintain architecture docs, interface specs and version-controlled designs.

Conocimientos

VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog

FPGA firmware

Python

Digital signal processing

English proficiency

Educación

Electronic/electrical engineering degree or related field

Herramientas

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Version control tooling

ADC/DAC interfaces

Descripción del empleo

Hardware | Full-time · Hybrid | Paris, France

Target start date: Early January 2027

About Qluster

Qluster is a startup developing continuous-variable photonic quantum computers. By prioritizing architecture-first scalability, our ambition is to turn fundamental research into practical technology for healthcare, chemistry, sustainability and various applications.

We bring together physicists and engineers who value curiosity, initiative, and teamwork. Progress comes from open discussion, constructive challenges, and shared ownership of complex problems. Joining Qluster means helping shape both our core technology and the way we work.

Your role and responsibilities

As our Senior FPGA & Real-Time Control Engineer, you will develop the real-time digital core of our Quantum Reservoir Computing (QRC) prototypes and help define the fast-control architecture of our universal fault tolerant quantum computing (uFTQC) platform. Working closely with quantum scientists, optical engineers, analogue electronics engineers and software developers, you will translate experimental requirements into robust FPGA-based acquisition, processing and control systems.

• Define real-time system requirements: translate experimental needs into specifications for sampling rate, throughput, latency, timing accuracy, synchronization and digital interfaces.
• Develop FPGA firmware: design, simulate, implement and validate logic for acquisition, digital signal processing, filtering, synchronization, feedback/feedforward and deterministic data-flow management.
• Integrate data converters and timing: bring up ADCs, DACs and clock-distribution architectures, and validate converter interfaces, data integrity and timing performance.
• Select suitable platforms: assess FPGA SoC and RFSoC solutions, make clear engineering trade-offs and choose architectures appropriate to prototype and product constraints.
• Connect hardware and host software: develop well-documented control and data interfaces with the software team, supporting reproducible experiments and future remote operation.
• Validate performance: build firmware tests, automated test routines and latency measurements; troubleshoot issues across FPGA logic, converters, timing and optical interfaces.
• Integrate laboratory prototypes: participate in optical-table integration and progressively replace laboratory instruments with dedicated electronic modules.
• Prepare rack-level implementation: contribute to the migration toward compact, maintainable and testable rack-mounted electronics.
• Own documentation and interfaces: maintain architecture documents, interface specifications, version-controlled designs and verification evidence.

The role is focused on FPGA firmware, deterministic control, high-speed acquisition and digital interfaces. Low-noise detector design, full analogue PCB ownership, ASIC design, mechanical packaging and overall product integration are handled collaboratively by other specialists or separate workstreams.

Basic qualifications and experience

• A degree in electronic engineering, electrical engineering, embedded systems or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Demonstrated ownership of FPGA-based systems from requirements and architecture through implementation and laboratory validation.
• Strong proficiency in VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog, including simulation, synthesis, timing constraints, timing closure and clock-domain crossings.
• Hands-on experience integrating FPGA systems with ADCs/DACs, clocking, hardware interfaces and host software.
• Strong foundations in digital signal processing and deterministic real-time data paths.
• Experience bringing up and debugging hardware with oscilloscopes, logic analysers and other laboratory instruments.
• Practical Python skills for test automation, instrument control or data analysis, alongside disciplined version control and technical documentation.
• A sound understanding of digital electronics and signal-integrity principles.
• A systematic approach to problem-solving, autonomy in managing priorities and the ability to make clear engineering trade-offs.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to work with physicists and translate algorithms into implementable FPGA architectures.
• Professional working proficiency in English.

Preferred qualifications and experience

• Experience with AMD/Xilinx RFSoC or FPGA SoC platforms.
• Familiarity with JESD204, LVDS, PCIe or Ethernet interfaces.
• Experience with embedded Linux, C/C++ or hardware/software co-design.
• Experience implementing real-time filtering, feedback or feedforward under explicit latency and throughput constraints.
• Experience with high-speed converters, low-jitter clocking or RF electronics.
• Experience in photonics, quantum technologies, scientific instrumentation or other demanding experimental environments.
• Experience helping migrate laboratory systems toward compact, rack-mounted and maintainable electronics.

What we offer

• Compensation: Salary package tailored to your experience and profile.
• Workplace flexibility: Hybrid work organization based in Paris.
• Benefits: Health insurance (50% employer-funded) and 50% public transportation reimbursement.
• Growth potential: As an early-stage startup, our employee benefits and workplace perks will expand and evolve alongside the growth and maturity of the company.

We are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process and workplace. Should you need any accommodations at any stage, please let us know.