Lead Software Engineer: FPGA/SDR & High-Rate Systems

Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 171,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, seeks a senior software engineer to design, implement, test, and ship uplink software for spacecraft communications while leading a small team of software and test engineers.

You will own the software interface to FPGA and mixed-signal hardware, develop signal processing, ensure data integrity, and drive verification and deployment across lab and field environments with DSN teams worldwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline with typically a minimum of 9 years of related work experience; or Master’s degree in similar discipline with a minimum 7 years of related work experience; or a PhD in a similar discipline with a minimum of 5 years of related work experience.
• 2+ years of experience leading or mentoring software engineering teams, or demonstrated technical leadership on complex projects.
• Strong C++ and working proficiency in Python.
• Experience developing software that interfaces directly with hardware (FPGA-based systems, data acquisition, embedded platforms, or instrumentation).
• Experience architecting high-rate data transport between hardware and software over PCIe, Ethernet, or comparable interfaces.
• Experience with software that must meet timing, throughput, or data-integrity requirements.
• Experience implementing signal processing algorithms in production software (digital modulation schemes, FIR/IIR filtering, forward error correction).
• Experience working within a structured engineering process, including design reviews and requirements-based verification.
• Experience testing and debugging software against real hardware in a lab or operational field environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and ship iterations of the uplink software package.
• Lead and mentor a small team of software and test engineers, providing technical guidance and managing dependencies.
• Own the software side of the interface to FPGA and mixed-signal hardware, defining and negotiating that boundary with the project team.
• Develop and maintain the signal processing capability of Uplink (error correction, modulation, signal generation), interfacing with software-defined radio systems.
• Architect and maintain high-rate data paths between hardware and software, accountable for data integrity and timing across the path.
• Define the verification strategy for the subsystem and build the automated test capability that supports it.
• Maintain the software release schedule, balancing critical mission milestones with the capability and resources of the team.
• Make technical architecture decisions and defend them to stakeholders and leadership.
• Present updates of the project to program leadership in review meetings (PDR, CDR, etc.) showing the project meets the expected capability and minimizes risk.
• Work cross-collaboratively with stakeholders of the internal interfaces to the subsystem and the external users of the subsystem.
• Perform hands-on work testing and evaluating the software deployments in the lab and in the field ensuring requirements are satisfied.
• Work closely with OEs and engineers at the three DSN complexes worldwide (USA, Spain, and Australia).
• Travel occasionally (<= 5% of your time) to the DSN complexes to support installation, checkout, or debugging of deployments.

Skills

C++

Python

Leadership

Communication

Testing & Debugging

System Integration

Timing & Throughput

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE/EE

Master's degree in related field

PhD in related field

Tools

PCIe

Ethernet

FPGA interfaces

USRP UHD / RFNoC

Git

CI/CD (Jenkins/GitHub Actions)

Job description

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, seeks a senior software engineer to design, implement, test, and ship uplink software for spacecraft communications while leading a small team of software and test engineers.

You will own the software interface to FPGA and mixed-signal hardware, develop signal processing, ensure data integrity, and drive verification and deployment across lab and field environments with DSN teams worldwide.