Early Career AI Engineer - Embedded & FPGA Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 102,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM, is seeking an Early Career AI Engineer to advance embedded and FPGA systems. You will develop AI-enabled software for real-time edge applications on constrained hardware, collaborating across electronics, firmware, and software teams to deliver robust, high-TRL solutions.

The role emphasizes agentic coding workflows, AI-assisted development, and deployment of autonomy algorithms to mission-critical platforms, onsite with relocation support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q clearance and SCI clearance, which may require a polygraph.
• Experience developing software and AI systems for enterprise and national security applications.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and integrate high-TRL software for embedded, electronics, and FPGA platforms.
• Apply agentic coding tools and AI-assisted development methods to improve software productivity, quality, and maintainability.
• Implement AI, machine learning, and autonomy algorithms for real-time execution on resource-constrained hardware.
• Collaborate with electronics, firmware, software, systems, and mission-domain experts to develop integrated solutions.
• Optimize algorithms and software for performance, latency, power, memory, and reliability constraints.
• Support hardware-in-the-loop testing, embedded platform bring-up, verification, validation, and fieldable prototype demonstrations.
• Contribute to software architectures, development workflows, and best practices for trusted AI-enabled embedded systems.
• Explore emerging tools and methodologies for applying generative AI and autonomous coding agents to mission software development.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Rust

MATLAB

Embedded systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

VHDL/Verilog

HLS tools

Vivado/Quartus

Job description

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Early Career AI Engineer - Embedded & FPGA Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide

Extraordinary co-workers

Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

Career advancement and enrichment opportunities

Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part‑time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)

Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a motivated AI engineer to join Department 5328, Smart Electronics Software, in advancing the way high-TRL software is developed and deployed on mission-relevant electronics platforms. In this role, you will help pioneer the use of agentic coding workflows to accelerate the implementation, verification, and sustainment of robust software for embedded processors, real-time systems, and FPGA-based architectures.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team focused on bringing artificial intelligence and autonomy closer to the edge. This includes deploying AI algorithms onto constrained electronics platforms to enable real‑time autonomy, decision support, signal processing, and intelligent control in operational environments. The work will span concept development, rapid prototyping, hardware/software integration, testing, and transition to high-reliability applications.

This position is ideal if you enjoy working at the intersection of modern software engineering, embedded systems, FPGA development, artificial intelligence, and national security applications. You will have the opportunity to shape how next‑generation intelligent systems are developed and deployed on advanced electronics platforms.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

Develop, test, and integrate high-TRL software for embedded, electronics, and FPGA platforms.

Apply agentic coding tools and AI‑assisted development methods to improve software productivity, quality, and maintainability.

Implement AI, machine learning, and autonomy algorithms for real‑time execution on resource‑constrained hardware.

Collaborate with electronics, firmware, software, systems, and mission‑domain experts to develop integrated solutions.

Optimize algorithms and software for performance, latency, power, memory, and reliability constraints.

Support hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, embedded platform bring‑up, verification, validation, and fieldable prototype demonstrations.

Contribute to software architectures, development workflows, and best practices for trusted AI‑enabled embedded systems.

Explore emerging tools and methodologies for applying generative AI and autonomous coding agents to mission software development.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant will be required to work onsite. Relocation provided for those who qualify.

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

Salary Range:

$102,400 - $199,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require:

A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.

Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q clearance and SCI clearance, which may require a polygraph.

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D AI Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

Graduate degree in a relevant computationally‑intensive discipline where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).

Experience in developing software and AI systems for enterprise and national security applications.

Demonstrated software development skills and familiarity with modern software development practices.

Proven ability to work and communicate effectively in a collaborative and interdisciplinary team environment.

Also for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

Experience developing software in one or more relevant languages, such as C, C++, Python, Rust, MATLAB, or similar languages used for embedded, scientific, or systems programming.

Familiarity with embedded software development, real‑time systems, microcontrollers, system‑on‑chip platforms, digital signal processors, or other resource‑constrained computing environments.

Exposure to FPGA development, hardware description languages, or high‑level synthesis tools, such as VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog, HLS, Vivado, Quartus, or related toolchains.

Interest in deploying AI, machine learning, signal processing, or autonomy algorithms to edge, embedded, FPGA, or electronics platforms.

Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks, model optimization techniques, or edge‑AI deployment concepts, such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX, quantization, pruning, latency optimization, or hardware acceleration.

Experience using modern software engineering practices, including version control, unit testing, code reviews, continuous integration, debugging, documentation, and requirements‑based development.

Interest in using agentic coding, AI‑assisted software development, or large language model tools to improve software productivity, quality, and maintainability.

Ability to work across hardware/software boundaries, including integrating software with electronics, sensors, communication interfaces, data acquisition systems, or laboratory test equipment.

Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to learn new technologies, development environments, and mission applications quickly.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams that may include software engineers, firmware developers, electrical engineers, systems engineers, researchers, and mission customers.

Good written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document designs, explain technical trade‑offs, and present results to technical and non‑technical audiences.

Interest in developing high‑reliability, high‑TRL software for real‑time autonomy, decision support, intelligent control, signal processing, or mission‑critical embedded applications.

About Our Team:

Smart Electronics Software specializes in next‑level software development, delivering custom‑built solutions tailored to address the unique challenges of complex national security problems. Committed to software best practices, our team harnesses our diverse expertise, modern tools, and advanced methodologies to create robust, reliable, and cutting‑edge applications that drive innovation and operational excellence.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre‑employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q‑level security clearance and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on‑site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.