FPGA Design Engineer - Avionics

E-Space; Saratoga (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

E-Space is building a cutting-edge LEO space system and seeks FPGA Design Engineers to develop, verify, and implement FPGA firmware for satellite avionics. You will work across multiple boards and subsystems, delivering reliable, radiation-tolerant FPGA designs for space environments.

Responsibilities include RTL design in SystemVerilog/VHDL, AXI protocol implementations, timing closure, CDC techniques, and fault-tolerant design through TMR/ECC/scrubbing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering.
• 5+ years of FPGA design experience in aerospace/high-reliability systems.
• Proficiency in SystemVerilog and/or VHDL for RTL design.
• Experience with FPGA synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure.
• Knowledge of AXI or similar bus protocols and interface design.
• Experience with clock-domain crossing techniques and multi-clock architectures.
• Understanding of radiation effects and mitigation (TMR, ECC, scrubbing).

Responsibilities

• Design and implement RTL in SystemVerilog or VHDL for satellite avionics FPGAs across a variety of FPGA platforms.
• Develop AXI Memory-Mapped and AXI-Stream protocol implementations for inter-subsystem communication.
• Perform FPGA resource and size estimation including logic, memory, and DSP budgeting.
• Implement clock-domain-crossing (CDC) design techniques and verify timing closure across designs.
• Design clock/reset tree architectures and manage timing-closure strategies for complex multi-clock designs.
• Develop SPI, I²C, GPIO, and other low-speed peripheral interfaces alongside high-speed transceiver links.
• Apply fault-tolerant digital design techniques including TMR, ECC, scrubbing, and SEE mitigation.
• Perform synthesis and place-and-route using vendor toolchains, including custom placement constraints.
• Support board bring-up by developing configuration, interface verification, and debug test sequences.
• Collaborate with digital design, power, and PCB layout engineers to ensure FPGA support circuitry meets requirements.

Skills

FPGA design experience (aerospace/high

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

SystemVerilog/ VHDL toolchains

FPGA vendor toolchains

RTL simulation tools

Python/TCL scripting

Job description

Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable? Then you’ve come to the right place!

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing and service deliveryassociated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems.

We’re intentional, we’re unapologetically curious and we’re 100% committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that will expand global economies, protect space and our planet and enhance our overall quality of life.

We are looking for FPGA Design Engineers to develop, implement, and verify FPGA firmware for satellite avionics systems. You will work across multiple boards and subsystems, designing RTL for flight computers, payload processing, communications, and sensor interfaces. The role requires strong digital design fundamentals and the ability to deliver reliable, radiation-tolerant FPGA designs for a space environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement RTL in SystemVerilog or VHDL for satellite avionics FPGAs across a variety of FPGA platforms.
• Develop AXI Memory-Mapped and AXI-Stream protocol implementations for inter-subsystem communication.
• Perform FPGA resource and size estimation including logic, memory, and DSP budgeting.
• Implement clock-domain-crossing (CDC) design techniques and verify timing closure across designs.
• Design clock/reset tree architectures and manage timing-closure strategies for complex multi-clock designs.
• Develop SPI, I²C, GPIO, and other low-speed peripheral interfaces alongside high-speed transceiver links.
• Apply fault-tolerant digital design techniques including TMR, ECC, scrubbing, and SEE mitigation.
• Perform synthesis and place-and-route using vendor toolchains, including custom placement constraints.
• Support board bring-up by developing configuration, interface verification, and debug test sequences.
• Collaborate with digital design, power, and PCB layout engineers to ensure FPGA support circuitry meets requirements.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of FPGA design experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability systems.
• Proficiency in SystemVerilog and/or VHDL for RTL design.
• Experience with FPGA synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure workflows.
• Demonstrated knowledge of AXI or similar bus protocols and interface design.
• Experience with clock-domain crossing techniques, FIFO design, and multi-clock architectures.
• Understanding of radiation effects on FPGAs and mitigation strategies (TMR, ECC, scrubbing).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with a variety of FPGA platforms and vendor toolchains (e.g., flash-based, SRAM-based, anti-fuse architectures).
• Background in signal processing (FFT, FIR/IIR filters) and DSP integration.
• Experience with transceiver design and high-speed serial communications on FPGAs.
• Exposure to DAC/ADC interfaces and mixed-signal digital handling.
• Experience with satellite or spacecraft FPGA applications.
• Proficiency in Python or TCL scripting for automation and build infrastructure.

Tools & Technologies:

• FPGA vendor toolchains (synthesis, place-and-route, timing analysis)
• RTL simulation tools (e.g., VCS, QuestaSim, or equivalent)
• Python, TCL, or shell scripting for build automation
• Makefiles for FPGA build workflows

$150,000 - $250,000 a year

Why E-Space is right for you:

As a member of our team, you will play a crucial role in driving our success. Our team members have a strong sense of dedication and responsibility; this includes a strong commitment to our mission to create an entirely new suite of global capabilities to improve lives, business efficiencies and build a smarter planet. This means that there will be times when extra hours, including nights and weekends, may be needed to meet critical deadlines and mission goals. In return, we offer a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a high-growth industry.

We want you to make the most of your journey at E-Space. That’s why we support and invest in the physical, emotional and financial well-being of our team members and their families. Some of what you can expect when working at E-Space:

An opportunity to really make a difference

Sustainability at our core

Fair and honest workplace

Innovative thinking is encouraged

Competitive salaries

Continuous learning and development

Health and wellness care options

Financial solutions for the future

Optional legal services (US only)

Paid holidays

Paid time off