Lead Embedded Firmware & FPGA Engineer

Eaton; Youngsville (NC); On-site; USD 105,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits and Retirement plans

Paid time off

Job summary

Eaton’s Electrical Critical Power Solutions Division in Youngsville, NC seeks a Lead Embedded Firmware & FPGA Engineer to architect, develop, verify, and release FPGA-based solutions for next-generation power management products, including SiC-based three-phase systems for data centers.

The role involves collaboration with global teams to bring new silicon carbide power conversion systems to market, performing RTL design and verification, and ensuring timing closure across complex FPGA

Qualifications

• BS in EE with 5 years embedded firmware/softw. exp.
• MS in EE with 4 years embedded exp. (or PhD with lab work).
• PhD in EE with exact lab work.
• Experience developing synthesizable RTL with VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog.
• Experience with FPGA design workflows: RTL, sim, synthesis, timing, hardware validation.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, verify, test, and release FPGA designs for new products.
• Translate system requirements into FPGA architecture and design details.
• Evaluate FPGA architectures to meet performance, resource, cost, and timing needs.
• Design RTL using Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL.
• Develop FPGA logic for PWM, digital control, protection, data acquisition, interfaces.
• Create modular FPGA components and robust coding practices.
• Develop testbenches and perform RTL simulation/verification.
• Perform synthesis, place-and-route, timing analysis, timing closure.
• Analyze timing, resources, clocking, and clock-domain crossing.
• Design interfaces between FPGAs, MCUs, DSPs, ADCs/DACs, and other components.
• Support board bring-up and debugging with oscilloscope/logic analyzers/JTAG.

Skills

FPGA design

Verilog/SystemVerilog

RTL design

C/C++

Digital control

Timing analysis

Synthesis

System integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related

PhD in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

Intel Quartus

ModelSim/Questa

Job description

Eaton’s Electrical Critical Power Solutions Division is seeking a Lead Embedded Firmware & FPGA Engineer to join our innovative engineering team in Youngsville, NC. In this role, you will contribute to the architecture, design, development, verification, and release of FPGA-based solutions supporting next-generation power management products. Working alongside global, cross‑functional teams, you will play a key role in bringing new products to market, including advanced silicon carbide (SiC)-based three‑phase power conversion systems that deliver reliable power for mission‑critical applications such as data centers.

The expected annual salary range for this role is $105000 - $154000 a year.

Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

What You’ll Do

• Work as part of an engineering team to architect, develop, verify, test, and release FPGA-based designs in support of new product development. Collaborate with global cross‑functional teams to support the launch of new products, including SiC‑based three‑phase power conversion systems designed to support critical loads such as data centers.
• Review product requirements and collaborate with systems, firmware, controls, power electronics, and hardware engineers to translate system‑level specifications into FPGA architecture and detailed design requirements.
• Evaluate alternative FPGA architectures and implementation approaches to meet customer and product development requirements while considering performance, resource utilization, cost, reliability, and schedule.
• Design, develop, review, and maintain synthesizable RTL using Verilog, SystemVerilog, and/or VHDL.
• Develop FPGA logic for functions such as PWM generation, digital control, protection and fault management, high‑speed data acquisition, sequencing, state machines, digital filtering, and processor/peripheral interfaces.
• Develop modular and reusable FPGA design components and establish effective FPGA coding and design practices.
• Develop testbenches and perform RTL simulation and functional verification to ensure designs meet functional and system requirements.
• Perform synthesis, place‑and‑route, static timing analysis, and timing closure using industry‑standard FPGA development toolchains.
• Analyze and resolve FPGA implementation challenges related to timing, resource utilization, clock distribution, reset architecture, and clock‑domain crossing.
• Design and integrate communication interfaces between FPGAs, microcontrollers, DSPs, ADCs, DACs, and other system components using interfaces such as SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet, and parallel interfaces, as applicable.
• Support board‑level bring‑up, integration, and debugging of FPGA‑based systems using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG debuggers, and embedded FPGA debugging tools.
• Participate in design reviews, RTL code reviews, verification reviews, and root‑cause investigations.

Qualifications

Required (Basic) Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited institution with 5 years of experience in embedded software or firmware development OR
• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited institution with 4 years of experience in embedded software or firmware development OR
• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline from an accredited institution with exact lab work.
• Professional experience developing synthesizable RTL using VHDL, Verilog, and/or SystemVerilog.
• Experience with FPGA design workflows including RTL development, simulation, synthesis, implementation, timing analysis, and hardware validation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Design experience with power electronic, industrial control, energy conversion, or other real‑time embedded products.
• Experience implementing digital control algorithms, PWM generation, modulation techniques and high‑speed deterministic control functions in FPGA.
• Experience with FPGA development toolchains such as Intel Quartus, and ModelSim/Questa.
• Experience integrating FPGA designs with microcontrollers, DSPs, ADCs, DACs, and mixed‑signal embedded systems.
• Experience implementing communication interfaces such as SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet, and high‑speed serial or parallel interfaces.
• Experience with embedded firmware development and programming in C/C++.
• Experience using hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) simulation for system integration and validation.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of digital logic design, synchronous design principles, finite‑state machines, pipelining, clocking, reset architectures, and FPGA resource optimization.
• Understanding of three‑phase electrical power systems and power conversion concepts is preferred.
• Ability to read and understand electrical schematics, component datasheets, interface specifications, and timing diagrams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross‑functional and geographically distributed engineering teams.
• Self‑motivated, proactive, detail‑oriented, and capable of independently driving technical activities to meet project schedules.
• Ability to work in a laboratory environment around high‑voltage equipment where strict adherence to safety practices is critical.

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We know that good benefit programs are important to employees and their families. Eaton provides various Health and Welfare benefits as well as Retirement benefits, and several programs that provide for paid and unpaid time away from work. Click here for more detail: Eaton Benefits Overview. Please note that specific programs and options available to an employee may depend on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.