Principal FPGA Engineer

Prattwhitney; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 108,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) match

Relocation assistance

Job summary

RTX is seeking a senior FPGA engineer in Huntsville, Alabama. The role focuses on architecture, design, and verification of FPGA-based systems for defense products. You will collaborate with hardware, software and systems teams to translate requirements into robust FPGA solutions.

Responsibilities include development in VHDL/Verilog, debugging, and delivering production-ready FPGA releases. A strong background in timing, IP cores, and multi-brand FPGA environments is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM and 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience architecting FPGA-based systems and defining parts/interfaces.
• Experience with brands like Altera, Lattice, Microchip or AMD FPGAs.

Responsibilities

• Design FPGA solutions and verify against requirements.
• Develop and maintain FPGA designs in VHDL/Verilog.
• Lead documentation, reviews, and production releases of FPGA code.

Skills

FPGA design

HDL coding

PCIe/AXI/I2C

Python or C

IP cores

System architecture

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in STEM

MS or PhD in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Tools

Questa

RivieraPro

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-11-02 Country: United States of America Location: US-AL-HUNTSVILLE-315 ~ 315 Bob Heath Dr ~ BOB HEATH Position Role Type: Onsite U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required after day 1

At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market-leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world. Raytheon brings the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

The Effector Guidance Electronics (EGE) department develops electronics for weapon system products. We engage at the outset of the weapon system development and follow our designs through deployment. Our products are deployed all over the world, from the ground to exoatmospheric environments and into space. We are responsible for the architecture, design, and documentation of deliverable FPGA embedded processing at Raytheon.

What You Will Do

• Develop FPGA designs for all major vendors and device families (AMD, Altera, and Microchip)
• Design and support applications including gigabit serial interfaces, Radio Frequency (RF) and Electro-Optical (EO) DSP, controls, data links, embedded processing, and processor interfaces
• Collaborate with circuit card designers and systems engineers to develop requirements, architecture, modeling of algorithms, partitioning, code development, simulation, and place-and-route
• Verify designs against requirements using directed and constrained random testing methodologies
• Provide design support from requirements definition through production release
• Maintain design documentation and configuration management
• Deliver production quality FPGA releases from initial proof of concept up to production
• Work cooperatively with systems, hardware, software engineers, and program management to ensure product success
• Lead FPGA-based systems architecture and designs, including determination of parts and interfaces
• Design and code in VHDL for reliability, maintainability, reviewability, and reusability
• Verify designs utilizing self-checking techniques, directed and constrained random tests, while tracking functional and code coverage
• Solve undefined problems where information is difficult to obtain
• Create complete documentation including requirements, verification plan, user guides, and configuration management
• Provide design support from requirements definition through integration and test
• Translate system-level requirements into FPGA requirements
• Participate in internal and external technical reviews
• Independently drive projects and execute to program schedules and budget

Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience
• Experience architecting FPGA-based systems to determine parts and interfaces
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in at least six of the following categories:
  • Digital Design and HDL coding targeting configurable logic devices
  • Delivering FPGA solutions to system-level applications
  • Working with one or more brands of (Altera, Lattice, Microchip, AMD) FPGA devices and associated tools
  • Integration and debug of electronics using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, multimeters, etc.
  • FPGA timing constraints and timing closure
  • Digital simulation such as Questa, RivieraPro or similar tools
  • Industry standard interfaces and protocols such as AXI, PCIe, SPI, I2C, etc.
  • Python or C programming
  • Working with Intellectual Property (IP) cores
• MS or Ph.D. in Electrical or Computer Engineering (preferred)

Preferred Qualifications

• Digital Design Knowledge & Principles
• Radar processing techniques
• Image processing techniques for visual and infrared sensors
• Gigabit serial interfaces and multi-gigabit transceivers (MGTs)
• Experience with embedded processor and System on a Chip development for FPGA devices
• Knowledge of embedded systems design using Microblaze, Nios or ARM processors (strong plus)
• FPGA design experience using a Linux-based development environment (highly desired)
• Knowledge of git and GitHub
• Encryption/decryption standards such as AES, RSA, ECC, etc.
• Embedded systems design using ARM processors
• Familiarity with the Linux environment and commands
• Cross-discipline knowledge such as software, systems, modeling, etc.
• Highly motivated, high performers with a strong desire to learn and contribute in a fast-paced team environment
• Verification utilizing hardware platforms
• System-level FPGA requirements specification and architecture development
• Experience working in a team environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Self-directed – Able to complete tasks with minimum oversight
• Practical knowledge of project management
• Ability to identify links and potential impact on projects, programs, or systems
• Experience in a leadership role such as team lead, technical lead, project lead, etc.

What We Offer

• Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world.
• At RTX we value: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation.
• Location: Huntsville, Alabama, earned the nickname "ROCKET CITY" for its close association with U.S. space research since 1950.
• This role is 100% onsite and qualifies for relocation assistance.
• Salary range: 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.
• Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to:
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Short‑term disability
  • Long‑term disability
  • 401(k) match
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Flexible work schedules
  • Employee assistance program
  • Employee Scholar Program
  • Parental leave
  • Paid time off and holidays
  • Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on level and collective bargaining agreement
• This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.
• RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

Equal Opportunity

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

Company Overview

RTX is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. It comprises three industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. Its 195,000 employees enable the company to operate at the edge of known science as they imagine and deliver solutions that push the boundaries in quantum physics, electric propulsion, directed energy, hypersonics, avionics and cybersecurity. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.