Hardware Design Engineer

Actalent; Maryland; On-site; USD 150,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Annual performance bonus

401(k) with matching

ESPP 15% discount

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Actalent in Annapolis Junction, MD seeks an FPGA Hardware Design Engineer to lead FPGA architecture, design, and development for embedded systems. You will collaborate with software and system engineers to architect, verify, and debug FPGA/firmware designs.

The role requires strong technical skills, customer focus, and the ability to mentor junior engineers while driving continuous innovation in a fast-paced environment. This is a permanent onsite position with competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Physics or equivalent.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience.
• Experience with RTL development (VHDL, Verilog, or System Verilog).
• Experience with FPGA design, synthesis, and P&R tools.
• Experience developing Verilog/SystemVerilog test benches.
• Exposure to DSP concepts and Signals & Systems.
• Experience working in Linux and/or Windows environment.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Active Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead FPGA architecture, design, coding, verification, and lab debug activities.
• Develop and analyze RTL using VHDL, Verilog, or System Verilog.
• Perform FPGA synthesis, place & route, and timing analysis using industry-standard tools.
• Develop and execute test benches for verification and validation.
• Collaborate with software and system engineers to define hardware/firmware interfaces.
• Integrate and validate FPGA designs within embedded systems environments.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical leadership initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Lab debugging

Embedded systems

Customer focus

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Physics

Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering

Tools

VHDL

Verilog

SystemVerilog

FPGA design tools

Xilinx tool suite

Job description

FPGA Hardware Design Engineer

The primary role of the Hardware Design Engineer is to lead FPGA architecture, design, and development efforts in support of advanced embedded systems solutions. This position involves close collaboration with software and system engineers to architect, implement, verify, and debug FPGA and embedded firmware designs. The ideal candidate is technically strong, adaptable, customer-focused, and capable of leading small technical efforts while mentoring junior engineers and contributing to continuous innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead FPGA architecture, design, coding, verification, and lab debug activities.
• Develop and analyze RTL using VHDL, Verilog, or System Verilog.
• Perform FPGA synthesis, place & route, and timing analysis using industry-standard tools.
• Develop and execute test benches for verification and validation.
• Collaborate with software and system engineers to define hardware/firmware interfaces.
• Integrate and validate FPGA designs within embedded systems environments.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical leadership initiatives.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Physics or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience.
• Experience with RTL development (VHDL, Verilog, or System Verilog).
• Experience with FPGA design, synthesis, and P&R tools.
• Experience developing Verilog/System Verilog test benches.
• Exposure to DSP concepts and Signals & Systems.
• Experience working in Linux and/or Windows environment.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Active Top Secret clearance.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
• Experience with Software Defined Radio (SDR) concepts & tools (GNU Radio, Matlab, etc.).
• Experience with C/C++, Bash, Tcl/TK, and GitLab.
• Experience with FPGA design using Xilinx's tool suite.
• Experience using soft/hard IP cores in FPGAs/ASICs.
• Exposure to embedded software development.
• Exposure to PCB design and development.
• Python scripting.

Work Environment

This position is located in Annapolis Junction, MD. The work environment involves collaboration with a team of engineers, utilizing cutting-edge technology and tools to deliver innovative solutions in the field of embedded systems.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Annapolis Junction, MD.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $150000.00 - $215000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Compensation & Impact Competitive Base Salary: Aligned with your role, experience, and market data.
• Dual-Engine Bonus Model: Annual Company Performance Bonus + Merit-Based Performance Bonus to reward your direct impact.
• Retirement: Building Your Future Up to 10% Company Contribution: 4% match (dollar for dollar) + 6% non-elective contribution. Immediate vesting - it's all yours from day one!
• Time Off: Rest & Recharge 4 Fixed Holidays + 2 Floating holidays per year Quarterly Floating Holidays in lieu of year-end shutdown 10 Paid Sick Days front-loaded at the start of the year. Discretionary Time Off (DTO): Flexible, trust-based vacation - no traditional accrual bank.
• Ownership & Growth Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP): Purchase AV at a 15% discount.
• Investment in You: Tuition reimbursement, training budgets, and internal expert-led knowledge sharing.
• Culture & Perks Flexible work arrangements: Focus on flexibility in daily start and end times to support your work-life balance.
• Employee referral bonuses - help us grow with great people!
• More specific information on benefits can be found at https://myavbenefits.avinc.com/

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 30, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Annapolis Junction,MD.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.