RF Systems FPGA Engineer II - Lunar Permanance

Blue Origin; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Origin’s Lunar RF Systems group seeks an FPGA Design Engineer to own digital design from concept to flight. You will translate DSP and RF requirements into synthesizable RTL on FPGAs and SOCs, modeling waveforms in MATLAB/Simulink and validating implementations with hardware teams.

You will optimize DSP architectures, assess hardware resources, and collaborate across RF, antenna, DSP, and embedded software teams to enable lunar mission capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field.
• 3+ years of FPGA design or DSP experience.
• Experience implementing DSP algorithms on FPGA or embedded processors.
• Ability to simulate end-to-end systems to meet performance specs.
• Proficiency with Matlab/Simulink or equivalent modeling tools.
• Experience selecting and optimizing DSP algorithms for radar or sensor use.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate end-to-end systems to meet performance specs.
• Develop and validate DSP algorithms for radar or sensing applications.
• Support Matlab/Simulink code generation for signal processing and filtering.
• Analyze computational complexity and hardware resource needs.
• Optimize FPGA-based DSP architectures to improve SNR and performance.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to select devices (FPGA, ADC/DAC, memory).
• Assist with hardware bring-up and test; RTL implementation and prototyping.
• Conduct hardware-in-the-loop and RF testing; participate in reviews.

Skills

FPGA design

DSP algorithms

MATLAB/Simulink

RTL design

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field

Tools

Verilog/SystemVerilog/VHDL

Xilinx Vivado

Intel Quartus

Synopsys Synplify Pro

ModelSim/QuestaSim

UVM/OVM

Job description

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We're working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight!

This role is part of the Lunar Permanence business unit, which develops Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers and related products. To further Blue Origin's mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface.

Blue Origin's Lunar RF Systems group is seeking an FPGA Design Engineer to support our Radio and Radar teams in developing flight communications and sensing hardware for lunar vehicles.

Our radios deliver command, telemetry, and data links between the surface, orbit, and Earth and our radars enable precision descent and landing on the lunar surface.

FPGAs and advanced system-on-chip devices are used to configure and control RF hardware, perform signal preprocessing, manage communications interfaces, and monitor system health.

In this role, you will own digital design from algorithm concept through flight, translating DSP and RF system requirements into synthesizable RTL running on FPGAs and system-on-chip devices. You will model and simulate waveforms and detection algorithms in MATLAB/Simulink, trade fixed-point architectures against fabric, memory, and I/O budgets, implement and verify the resulting logic, and then bring it up on real hardware alongside RF, antenna, DSP, and embedded software engineers.

As part of a hardworking team of diverse specialists, technicians, and engineers, you will support the design, build, and operation of communications and sensing systems that enable a sustained human presence on the Moon.

Responsibilities Include but are not limited to:

• Design and simulation of end-to-end systems to meet required performance specifications such as range and signal-to-noise ratio.
• Design and validate signal processing algorithm for applications of detection, tracking, RF calibration, parameter estimation.
• Support Matlab/Simulink Code generation for signal processing and filtering
• Analysis of algorithmic computational complexity and hardware resource needs (FPGA fabric, memory/IO bandwidth, etc.)
• Optimize FPGA-based DSP architecture to maximize Signal-to-Noise/Clutter Ratio, improve Receiver Sensitivity, and mitigate RF nonlinearity calibration
• Work with hardware engineers to drive device selection: FPGA, ADC/DAC, DDR3/4, NOR flash, etc.
• Support HW bring-up and work alongside hardware engineers to support design verification
• RTL logic implementation and FPGA prototyping
• Perform hardware-in-the-loop, bench-level, and integrated RF testing.
• Participate in requirements, design, test-readiness, qualification, and acceptance reviews.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in FPGA design and/or DSP
• Experience in developing and implementing DSP algorithm on FPGA and/or embedded processor
• Experience in simulating an end-to-end system to meet required performance specifications, such as link budgets
• Proficient with Matlab/Simulink, or equivalent modeling environment
• Experience in designing, choosing, and optimizing DSP algorithms for radar or other relevant sensors
• Proficient with IEEE 802.3, XAUI, PCIe, JESD204B/C, I2C, SPI interfaces
• Proficient in writing RTL using Verilog/SystemVerilog/VHDL (SystemVerilog desired).
• Strong understanding of FPGA design concepts, CDC, constraint definition, STA, and timing closure.
• Proficient with FPGA development tools such as Xilinx Vivado, Microchip Libero, Synopsys Synplify Pro, Intel Quartus
• Proficient with ModelSim/QuestaSim or equivalent simulators.
• Experience in writing test benches utilizing techniques such as UVM/OVM, SV Assertion, and/or functional/code coverage analysis.
• Hands-on experience with testing and laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic or protocol analyzers, power supplies, multimeters, and signal generators.
• Experience with Git or another modern version-control system and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong technical communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Possessing a Master of Science in electrical/computer engineering, digital signal processing, mathematics or a related technical field.
• Experience in FMCW or CW Radar/LiDAR signal processing
• Proficient with scripting languages like Perl, Python, or Tcl
• Experience with RF sensors.
• Experience with space applications and radiation environment.
• Experience with RF test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal generators