Field-Programmable Gate Arrays Engineer

Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group seeks an experienced FPGA/HDL engineer to design, validate, and optimize digital hardware and embedded software for power electronics applications.

You will work with MATLAB/Simulink, HDL languages, and FPGA toolchains to model, test, and implement cutting-edge control algorithms across DSP and motor control domains.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree.
• 5+ years of industry experience with embedded systems HDL design.
• Experience with communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, memory bus, ARM AMBA AXI/AHB, CAN, RS485, Ethernet, EtherCAT, USB, or Fiber Optics.
• Experience with digital signal processing (DSP) in embedded or FPGA-based systems.
• Experience with switching power converter control in power electronics applications.
• Experience with motor control implementations using HDL or embedded systems.
• Proficiency using Verilog or VHDL for FPGA and digital logic design.
• Experience with Python to create command-line tooling and scripted workflows.
• Experience using Git or similar version control systems for source code and HDL management.
• Hands-on experience with FPGA design and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Write, simulate, and debug HDL code for FPGA designs, ensuring robust and reliable digital implementations.
• Develop and maintain command-line tooling, primarily in Python, to test and validate FPGA designs efficiently.
• Use Matlab and Simulink to model and analyze electrical power systems and support the development of advanced control algorithms.
• Apply combined digital hardware and software knowledge to optimize overall system design and performance.
• Collaborate with electrical power engineers and controls engineers to develop advanced power control firmware for power systems and power electronics applications.
• Implement and support embedded systems HDL designs involving communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, memory buses, ARM AMBA AXI, CAN, RS485, Ethernet, EtherCAT, USB, and Fiber Optics.
• Develop HDL designs for digital signal processing, switching power converter control, and motor control applications.
• Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers to probe, test, and debug digital hardware.
• Use Python to create scripted workflows and tooling integrated with version control systems to support repeatable testing and development.
• Work with FPGA toolchains and related software to synthesize, implement, and verify designs on target hardware.
• Document designs, test procedures, and results clearly to support ongoing development and future maintenance.

Job description

This role focuses on designing, implementing, and validating FPGA-based digital systems and advanced power control firmware. You will write, simulate, and debug HDL code, develop command-line tools for testing FPGA designs, and use Matlab and Simulink to model electrical power systems. You will collaborate closely with electrical power and controls engineers to optimize system performance by integrating both digital hardware and software expertise.

Responsibilities

• Write, simulate, and debug HDL code for FPGA designs, ensuring robust and reliable digital implementations.
• Develop and maintain command-line tooling, primarily in Python, to test and validate FPGA designs efficiently.
• Use Matlab and Simulink to model and analyze electrical power systems and support the development of advanced control algorithms.
• Apply combined digital hardware and software knowledge to optimize overall system design and performance.
• Collaborate with electrical power engineers and controls engineers to develop advanced power control firmware for power systems and power electronics applications.
• Implement and support embedded systems HDL designs involving communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, memory buses, ARM AMBA AHB or AXI, CAN, RS485, Ethernet, EtherCAT, USB, and Fiber Optics.
• Develop HDL designs for digital signal processing, switching power converter control, and motor control applications.
• Use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers to probe, test, and debug digital hardware.
• Use Python to create scripted workflows and tooling integrated with version control systems to support repeatable testing and development.
• Work with FPGA toolchains and related software to synthesize, implement, and verify designs on target hardware.
• Document designs, test procedures, and results clearly to support ongoing development and future maintenance.
• Bachelor of Science degree.
• 5+ years of industry experience with embedded systems HDL design.
• Experience with one or more communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, memory bus, ARM AMBA AHB or AXI, CAN, RS485, Ethernet, EtherCAT, USB, or Fiber Optics.
• Experience with digital signal processing (DSP) in embedded or FPGA-based systems.
• Experience with switching power converter control in power electronics applications.
• Experience with motor control implementations using HDL or embedded systems.
• Proficiency using Verilog or VHDL for FPGA and digital logic design.
• Ability to use lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and network analyzers to probe and debug digital hardware.
• Experience using Python to create command-line tooling and scripted workflows.
• Experience using Git or similar version control systems for source code and HDL management.
• Hands‑on experience with FPGA design and implementation.
• Knowledge of power systems and power electronics concepts relevant to digital control.
• Familiarity with HDL‑based development flows including simulation, synthesis, and hardware debugging.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience using Matlab and Simulink, including HDL Coder, to model and generate code for electrical power systems.
• Experience working with AMD/Xilinx Vivado tool suite and related FPGA platforms.
• Experience with fixed‑point mathematics and its application in digital control and DSP implementations.
• Experience with both Verilog and VHDL for greater flexibility in digital design.
• Experience designing ARM AMBA AXI and AXI‑Stream connected modules.
• Understanding of clock domain management and clock domain crossing techniques in digital systems.
• Experience with CMake for build configuration and automation.
• Experience with digital hardware design using Altium Designer or similar electronic design automation tools.
• Experience with C or C++ for embedded systems development.
• Experience with embedded Linux and microcontroller (MCU) development.
• Experience with power systems and power electronics design and control.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to debug complex digital and embedded systems.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.