FPGA Engineer

GCS Recruitment; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

GCS Recruitment is seeking an FPGA Engineer to join a space-focused hardware team in San Diego. You will design RTL for AMD/Xilinx Versal/UltraScale+ FPGAs, configure high-speed transceivers, and implement Ethernet stacks. The role requires strong FPGA experience and U.S.

citizenship or permanent residency. The position involves developing embedded Linux environments (PetaLinux/Yocto), performing board bring-up, and collaborating with hardware engineers on validation and debugging for

Qualifications

• 8+ years FPGA/RTL development experience with Verilog, SystemVerilog or VHDL.
• Hands-on with high-speed serial transceivers (GTY/GTM) and 25G/50G/100G Ethernet.
• Proven board bring-up and hardware debugging experience.
• Experience achieving timing closure on modern FPGA devices.
• U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency required.

Responsibilities

• Design, integrate, and debug RTL on AMD/Xilinx Versal and UltraScale+ FPGAs.
• Configure and bring up GTY-class transceivers and debug 25 Gbps+ links.
• Implement and validate high-speed Ethernet solutions using MRMAC/CMAC IP (25G/50G/100G).
• Develop and maintain embedded Linux environments using PetaLinux/Yocto.
• Perform FPGA and board bring-up using JTAG, ILA, and lab test equipment.
• Work closely with hardware engineers to support system validation and debugging.
• Create diagnostic and monitoring tools to support development and test activities.

Skills

FPGA/RTL development

Verilog

SystemVerilog

VHDL

GTY/GTM transceivers

25G/50G/100G Ethernet

Timing closure

Hardware bring-up

Embedded Linux (PetaLinux/Yocto)

Tools

PetaLinux

Yocto

Device trees

Embedded Linux drivers

Job description

FPGA Engineer

About the Opportunity

Our client is building one of the world's largest low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, delivering broadband internet from space. With hundreds of satellites already in orbit and thousands more planned, they are developing the next generation of space-based communications technology.

The hardware team designs the advanced electronics powering phased-array antennas, including complex multi-layer boards, custom silicon, and high-speed serial interfaces. Engineers on this team have the unique opportunity to see their designs deployed on satellites operating in orbit.

What You'll Do

• Design, integrate, and debug RTL on AMD/Xilinx Versal and UltraScale+ FPGAs.
• Configure and bring up GTY-class transceivers and debug 25 Gbps+ serial links.
• Implement and validate high-speed Ethernet solutions using MRMAC/CMAC IP (25G/50G/100G).
• Develop and maintain embedded Linux environments using PetaLinux/Yocto.
• Perform FPGA and board bring-up using JTAG, ILA, and lab test equipment.
• Work closely with hardware engineers to support system validation and debugging.
• Create diagnostic and monitoring tools to support development and test activities.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of FPGA/RTL development experience using Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed serial transceivers (GTY/GTM) and/or 25G/50G/100G Ethernet.
• Proven board bring-up and hardware debugging experience.
• Experience achieving timing closure on modern FPGA devices.
• U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AMD/Xilinx Versal ACAP and UltraScale+ platforms.
• MRMAC or CMAC configuration and optimization experience.
• Strong background in PetaLinux, Yocto, device trees, and embedded Linux drivers.

Nice to Have

• Experience with JESD204, Aurora, or similar high-speed protocols.
• Aerospace, satellite communications, radar, or networking experience.
• Familiarity with high-reliability or radiation-aware designs.
• FPGA prototyping experience supporting ASIC development.

Why Join?
Work on cutting-edge satellite technology, collaborate with top-tier engineering teams, and see your FPGA designs deployed on real hardware headed for orbit.