Firmware Engineer

Talentify; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Fibertek, Inc. in Herndon, VA is seeking an experienced Firmware Engineer to contribute to our R&D division, developing firmware for space-grade laser and electro-optic payloads.

You will lead firmware architecture, implement end-to-end development, and collaborate with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers to ensure robust, high-reliability performance for aerospace applications. Applicants should have 7+ years in firmware, strong FPGA/RTL experience, and a background in high-speed

Qualifications

• BS/MS in EE or equivalent.
• 7+ years of firmware engineering experience.
• Expertise with firmware engineering, VHDL (RTL), SystemVerilog.
• Experience with Digital Signal Processing and high-speed optical interfaces (modems, LIDAR).
• Experience with FPGA families: Xilinx, Microchip, Lattice and related tools.
• Experience developing test benches and simulations to verify designs.
• Experience interfacing with hardware engineers during development, integration and test.
• Experience with memory interfaces: DDR3/4, QDR, FRAM, etc.
• Experience with GitHub and CI/CD for FPGA flows, code reviews, linting, synthesis, timing, and release tagging.

Responsibilities

• Lead firmware architecture and implementation for space-based payloads.
• End-to-end firmware development lifecycle from requirements to validation.
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers to define interfaces and enable system integration.
• Participate in iterative development cycles with rapid feedback and frequent integration points.
• Conduct lab-based debugging, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and system-level validation.
• Support peer code reviews and continuous improvement of development processes.

Skills

Firmware engineering

VHDL RTL

SystemVerilog testing

Digital Signal Processing

LIDAR

FPGA (Xilinx)

High-speed SerDes

DDR3/4

GitHub / CI/CD

Education

B.S./M.S. in EE

Tools

FPGA development tools

GitHub CI/CD tooling

Schematic capture

Job description

Fibertek, Inc. is a leading developer of laser and electro-optic systems for the aerospace community, with key contributions to lasers for atmospheric sensing, laser communications, and lidar sensors for NASA, DoD, and commercial customers. We are looking for an experienced Firmware Engineer to contribute to the development of products on our Research and Development Division in Herndon VA. As part of our R&D division, you would join our firmware team to develop, integrate, and test our firmware products in Fibertek’s spaced-based, electro-optical systems.

Essential Job Duties

• Lead and contribute to firmware architecture and implementation for space-based electro-optical payloads and laser systems
• Perform end-to-end firmware development lifecycle: from requirements analysis through design, coding, simulation, verification, and validation
• Collaborate closely with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers in cross-functional teams to define interfaces, resolve design issues, and ensure seamless system integration
• Participate in task-based iterative development cycles, incorporating rapid feedback, frequent integration points, and incremental testing to meet mission reliability goals
• Conduct lab-based debugging, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and system-level validation using diagnostic tools and protocols
• Support peer code reviews, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement of development processes and best practices
• Apply high-reliability and space-grade techniques (e.g., fault tolerance, radiation mitigation) in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Contribute to documentation, design reviews, and risk identification throughout the product lifecycle

Experience and Expertise Required

• 7+ years relevant experience
• BS/MS in EE or equivalent
• Expertise with firmware engineering, VHDL (RTL), System Verilog (Testing)
• Expertise with Digital Signal Processing, precision timing, optical comms (modems), LIDAR
• Experience with Xilinx, Microchip, and Lattice FPGAs and their associated development tools
• Experience developing test benches and running simulations to exercise the design and to verify compliance
• Experience interfacing and working with hardware designers during development, integration, and test phases
• Experience using schematics and block diagrams as inputs for firmware design
• Experience in high-speed serial links: GTY/GTM, JESD204B/C, Ethernet, SpaceWire
• Experience in standard peripheral interfaces: SPI, I2C, UART, LVDS, etc.
• Experience in memory interfaces: DDR3/4, QDR, FRAM, etc.
• Experience with GitHub, CI/CD for FPGA flows, code reviews, automated linting, synthesis, regression testing, timing closure, bitstream generation, release tagging

Bonus Areas

• Experience in Python for build/testing automation and data analysis
• Experience with Linux, scripting, Docker containers, and automation
• Experience developing Hi-Rel/Space programs and TMR coding
• Experience developing code (C, C++) for microcontrollers
• Experience with VS Code