FPGA Engineer

KBR Careers; Beavercreek (OH); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

KBR in Beavercreek, OH is seeking an FPGA Engineer to design, develop, integrate, and test FPGA‑based DSP and communications systems. You will work hands‑on in a lab environment with real hardware and collaborate across hardware, firmware, and software teams.

The role emphasizes FPGA DSP implementations, performance tuning, verification, and contributing to system‑level integration. A bachelor’s in EE/CE, 4–7 years, VHDL/Verilog and Vivado experience are expected; DoD clearance is a plus, and US

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 4–7 years of relevant FPGA, DSP, communications, or signal processing experience.
• Proficiency in VHDL and/or Verilog.
• Experience with FPGA development tools such as Vivado (or similar).

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain FPGA‑based DSP logic for communications and RF systems.
• Implement and debug real‑time DSP algorithms in hardware, including filtering, FFTs, modulation/demodulation, and synchronization functions.
• Integrate FPGA designs with embedded processors and system interfaces using AXI.
• Develop supporting software and firmware to command and interface with FPGA modules.
• Assist with hardware bring‑up, integration, testing, and debugging in laboratory environments.

Skills

FPGA design

DSP concepts

VHDL/Verilog

Vivado

Linux development

Git

DoD security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Verilog/VHDL simulators

Job description

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

Title

FPGA Engineer

KBR’s National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR!

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

KBR is seeking an FPGA Engineer to support the design, development, integration, and testing of FPGA‑based communications, RF, and signal processing systems. This role focuses on hands‑on FPGA development and DSP implementation while collaborating closely with senior engineers across hardware, firmware, and software domains.

The ideal candidate has solid experience developing FPGA‑based DSP solutions and is comfortable working in a lab environment on real hardware systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain FPGA‑based digital signal processing logic for communications and RF systems under guidance of senior engineers.
• Implement and debug real‑time DSP algorithms in hardware, including filtering, FFTs, modulation/demodulation, and synchronization functions.
• Integrate FPGA designs with embedded processors, peripherals, and system interfaces using standard protocols such as AXI.
• Develop supporting software and firmware to command, control, and interface with FPGA‑based modules.
• Assist with hardware bring‑up, integration, testing, and debugging in laboratory environments using standard RF and digital test equipment.
• Develop and execute simulation environments, testbenches, and verification workflows to validate functional and timing correctness of FPGA designs.
• Collaborate with RF, software, firmware, and systems engineers to support system integration and troubleshooting activities.
• Analyze FPGA performance with respect to throughput, latency, and resource utilization, and implement optimizations as needed.
• Develop and maintain scripts or automation tools to support FPGA build and test workflows.
• Support configuration management, documentation, and version control best practices throughout the development lifecycle.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 4–7 years of relevant experience in FPGA, DSP, communications, or signal processing systems
• Proficiency in VHDL and/or Verilog
• Experience with FPGA development tools such as Vivado (or similar)
• Familiarity with DSP concepts including sampling, filtering, and frequency‑domain analysis
• Experience working in a Linux development environment
• Experience with Git or similar version control systems
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SDR platforms or frameworks
• Experience integrating FPGA logic with embedded processors (e.g., ARM, MicroBlaze)
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink or similar modeling tools
• Experience developing basic test benches or verification workflows

Basic Compensation: $115,000 - $150,000 (For Beavercreek, OH Only)

The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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