ASIC/FPGA/Hardware Engineer

Battelle; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/or flexible work arrangement

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Battelle’s Cyber Advanced Microsystem Solutions unit seeks an early‑career ASIC/FPGA/Hardware Engineer to work in Columbus, Ohio. From silicon to systems, we unite physics, CS, electrical engineering, and math to deliver embedded security solutions for government and industry clients.

Join a multi‑disciplinary team in state‑of‑the‑art labs, tackling challenging security problems with agile, small teams across RTL, hardware testing, and software prototyping.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 0-6 years of experience in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Experience in the full life cycle of Integrated Circuit Design including processes such as, Simulation, Synthesis, Layout, and Fabrication
• Experience in the full FPGA development flow including RTL design, simulation, synthesis, place-and-route, timing closure, and on-board validation/debug
• Experience writing Hardware Design Languages (VHDL, Verilog, and/or SystemVerilog) for Register Transfer Logic (RTL), behavioral modeling, and testbench creation
• Knowledge of hardware validation, debugging, and sign-off methodologies including analysis of simulation results, timing reports, code coverage, equivalence checking, static analysis, etc.
• Ability to work independently and in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Must be a US Citizen with eligibility to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Advanced Microsystem Solutions team to assess the security, reliability, and trustworthiness of electronic devices, integrated circuits, and embedded systems
• Perform and support digital circuit analysis throughout various stages of the design lifecycle (RTL, netlist, layout, firmware, bitstreams, etc.) using techniques such as static analysis, formal methods, simulation, and hardware testing/troubleshooting
• Prototype and develop software implementations for novel research theories
• Conduct and/or participate in assigned technical tasks and activities with minimum supervision and within time and budget constraints
• Identify and articulate strengths and weaknesses of solutions, conclusions, and problem approaches during technical discussions
• Present technical findings to internal and external stakeholders tailored to the client's mission
• Contribute to rapid prototyping efforts supporting Internal Research and Development (IR&D) studies and mission-driven timelines
• Document designs, testing, and integration processes to support reproducibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Master’s degree

Tools

Cadence

Synopsys

Siemens

Xilinx Vivado

Altera Quartus

Questa

Modelsim

Icarus Verilog

Verilator

Job description

Battelle delivers when others can’t. We conduct research and development, manage national laboratories, design and manufacture products and deliver critical services for our clients—whether they are a multi-national corporation, a small start-up or a government agency.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Summary

Battelle’s Cyber Advanced Microsystem Solutions business unit is seeking early-career ASIC/FPGA/Hardware Engineer to work in our Columbus, Ohio location.

"From Silicon to Systems" - We are an elite, multi-disciplinary team, bringing together the brightest minds from physics, computer science, electrical engineering, and mathematics to develop unique embedded security solutions for government and industrial customers.

Battelle has been trusted by elite government clients to solve some of the world’s hardest security problems. We work in small agile teams to push the bounds of computing technology. Our high-powered labs include specialized software and hardware, so our engineers have everything they need to invent new Cyber solutions.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Advanced Microsystem Solutions team to assess the security, reliability, and trustworthiness of electronic devices, integrated circuits, and embedded systems
• Perform and support digital circuit analysis throughout various stages of the design lifecycle (RTL, netlist, layout, firmware, bitstreams, etc.) using techniques such as static analysis, formal methods, simulation, and hardware testing/troubleshooting.
• Prototype and develop software implementations for novel research theories
• Conduct and/or participate in assigned technical tasks and activities with minimum supervision and within time and budget constraints
• Identify and articulate strengths and weaknesses of solutions, conclusions, and problem approaches during technical discussions.
• Present technical findings to internal and external stakeholders tailored to the client's mission.
• Contribute to rapid prototyping efforts supporting Internal Research and Development (IR&D) studies and mission-driven timelines.
• Document designs, testing, and integration processes to support reproducibility.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 0-6 years of experience in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field of study; Master’s degree with 0-4 years of experience; or equivalent experience
• Experience in the full life cycle of Integrated Circuit Design including processes such as, Simulation, Synthesis, Layout, and Fabrication
• Experience in the full FPGA development flow including RTL design, simulation, synthesis, place-and-route, timing closure, and on-board validation/debug
• Experience writing Hardware Design Languages (VHDL, Verilog, and/or SystemVerilog) for Register Transfer Logic (RTL), behavioral modeling, and testbench creation
• Knowledge of hardware validation, debugging, and sign-off methodologies including analysis of simulation results, timing reports, code coverage, equivalence checking, static analysis, etc.
• Familiarity with one or more of the following Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools: Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens, Xilinx Vivado, Altera Quartus, Questa, Modelsim, Icarus Verilog, Verilator, etc.
• Ability to work independently and in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Organize and follow standard operating procedures and health and safety guidelines
• Must be a US Citizen with eligibility to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top Secret Clearance with SCI eligibility
• Experience with leading technical discussions and small IR&D tasks, demonstrating command of the technology and adequately fielding questions which arise.
• Experience building teams of technical experts across a range of skills for collaboration on hard problems and facilitating technical discussions with lower-level staff.
• An understanding of business product offerings and contributing to marketing/business development by providing technical expertise during marketing engagements as well as support business development efforts led by others.
• Experience with forming the technical approach and generating technical volumes for small proposals with minimal guidance.
• Experience with leading Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) creation and labor estimates.
• Experience with one or more of the following:
  • Machine Learning and/or Data Mining
  • Trusted Electronics, Hardware Security, Side-Channel Analysis
  • Failure analysis tools, techniques, and processes
  • PCB Design
  • Experience with electronic test and measurement equipment and/or debugging operations with both
  • High-speed interfaces, Digital Signal Processing (DSP), and Radio Frequency (RF) digital design experience
  • Experience with FPGAs containing embedded processors
  • Ability to translate ambiguous requirements into working solutions
  • Tapeout experience of mixed-signal chips
  • Programming with Python, Matlab, Labview, or C/C++/C#
  • Working knowledge of Focused Ion Beam (FIB)/ Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) capabilities
  • Reverse Engineering and Vulnerability Research of embedded systems
  • Experience with a disassembler (Ghidra, IDA Pro, BinaryNinja)
  • Experience with one or more embedded instruction set architectures (ARM, RISC-V, AVR, etc)

Compensation Data

Battelle is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The salary range for this role is $85,000 - $140,000 per year, in addition to our comprehensive benefits package. A candidate's salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to education, relevant work experience, skills, and certifications. Salary ranges may vary based on geographic location and market conditions.

Benefits: Live an Extraordinary Life

We care about your well-being, not just on the job. Battelle offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to help you live your best life.

• Balance life through a compressed work schedule: Most of our team follows a flexible, compressed work schedule that allows for every other Friday off - giving you a dedicated day to accomplish things in your personal life without using vacation time.
• Enjoy enhanced work flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement: You have options for where and when you work. Our Together with Flexibility model allows you to work 60% in-office and 40% remote, with Monday and Tuesday as common in-office days, dependent on team and position needs.
• Take time to recharge: You get paid time off to support work-life balance and keep motivated.
• Prioritize wellness: Stay healthy with medical, dental, and vision coverage with wellness incentives and benefits plus a variety of optional supplemental benefits.
• Better together: Coverage for partners, gender-affirming care and health support, and family formation support.
• Build your financial future: Build financial stability with an industry-leading 401(k) retirement savings plan. For most employees, we put in 5 percent whether you contribute or not, and match your contributions on top of that.
• Advance your education: Tuition assistance is available to pursue higher education.

A Work Environment Where You Succeed

For brilliant minds in science, technology, engineering and business operations, Battelle is the place to do the greatest good by solving humanity’s most pressing challenges and creating a safer, healthier and more secure world.

You will have the opportunity to thrive in a culture that inspires you to:

• Apply your talent to challenging and meaningful projects
• Receive select funding to pursue ideas in scientific and technological discovery
• Partner with world-class experts in a collaborative environment
• Nurture and develop the next generation of scientific leaders
• Give back to and improve our communities

Vaccinations & Safety Protocols

Battelle may require employees, based on job duties, work location, and/or its clients’ requirements to follow certain safety protocols and to be vaccinated against a variety of viruses, bacteria, and diseases as a condition of employment and continued employment and to provide documentation that they are fully vaccinated. If applicable, Battelle will provide reasonable accommodations based on a qualified disability or medical condition through the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act or for a sincerely held religious belief under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and related state laws).

Battelle is an equal opportunity employer. We provide employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our goal is for each staff member to have the opportunity to grow to the limits of their abilities and to achieve personal and organizational objectives. We will support positive programs for equal treatment of all staff and full utilization of all qualified employees at all levels within Battelle.

The above statements are intended to describe the nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, activities and skills required of staff members. No statement herein is intended to imply any authorities to commit Battelle unless special written permission is granted by Battelle's Legal Department.

For more information about our other openings, please visit www.battelle.org/careers