Embedded Systems & FPGA Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks an Embedded Systems and FPGA Engineer to contribute to end‑to‑end RF communications systems built around software defined radios for national security applications.

You will collaborate on software, firmware, and RTL, implement real‑time DSP on embedded platforms, and support integration, testing, and field deployments under tight timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical/computer engineering or CS
• Proficiency in VHDL/Verilog and FPGA tools (Vivado, ModelSim)
• Experience with ARM Embedded Linux platforms (Zynq, Raspberry Pi)
• Ability to obtain secret clearance; U.S. citizenship

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on software, firmware, and RTL for wireless systems.
• Implement real-time DSP on embedded hardware.
• Support integration, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting under tight timelines.
• Engage with sponsors to understand and solve tough problems.

Skills

FPGA design

DSP

Embedded Linux

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or CS

Tools

VHDL/Verilog

AMD Vivado

ModelSim

ARM Embedded Linux

Job description

Description

Are you passionate about building impactful and field-forward solutions for our greatest national security challenges?

Do you have a passion for developing and implementing innovative high-speed digital signal processing algorithms in modern FPGAs and SoCs?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL!

We are seeking a skilled engineer to join our multidisciplinary and highly collaborative team in the design, integration, and delivery of groundbreaking custom end-to-end RF communications systems built around software defined radios for the special operations and intelligence communities. These systems address challenging national security problems and enable planning and decision making in domains including active threat deterrence, signal intelligence, cyber operations, machine learning, image processing, and applied data analytics. Our systems range from large scale RF processing systems to small, low-power systems architected for specialized application. You'll join a multidisciplinary team of engineers who believe in fostering a collaborative work environment to solve complex problems.

As an Embedded Systems and FPGA Engineer, you will:

• Collaborate with experienced engineers on development of software, firmware, and RTL to support wireless communication systems.
• Take a sophisticated signal processing algorithm developed in Matlab and implement a real-time implementation on an embedded system.
• Support integration, field testing, debugging, and troubleshooting, often under tight time constraints.
• Engage with sponsors to understand and tackle their toughest problems.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• Have a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or another field relevant to the duties as described above.
• Have development experience and proficiency in VHDL or Verilog, FPGA development tools (e.g. AMD Vivado), and simulation tools (e.g. Vivado, ModelSim).
• Have developed software applications on ARM Embedded Linux Platforms (e.g. AMD Zynq, Raspberry Pi).
• Are able to acquire a secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...

• Have utilized build automation and CI/CD to automatically test, configure, build and deploy complex software applications and FPGA builds.
• Demonstrate success with architecting and implementing solutions that span some combination of CPUs, FPGAs, GPUs, or COTS Software Defined Radios.
• Have created and maintained board support packages (BSPs) using Openembedded/Yocto, Petalinux/EDF, or Buildroot for development boards or custom hardware.

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore‑Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign‑on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short‑term disability, long‑term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Minimum Rate

$100,000 Annually

Maximum Rate

$245,000 Annually