Senior Firmware Engineer

MSR Technology Group; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

MSR Technology Group in Cedar Rapids, IA, seeks a Senior Software Engineering Contractor to lead FPGA test planning, design, and verification for DO-254 DAL A programs.

Responsibilities include requirement management in DOORS, RTL coding in VHDL/Verilog, tool qualification, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure safety and compliance on mission-critical hardware.

Qualifications

• Proven FPGA development experience with DO-254 DAL A.
• Familiarity with DO-254 DAL A and Mil-516C guidance.
• Expertise in verification planning, testing, and tool qualification.
• Ability to document and maintain traceability from requirements to implementation and verification.
• RTL coding and simulation in VHDL or Verilog.
• Digital circuit design, timing analysis, and timing closure.
• Testbench development for RTL using VHDL/SystemVerilog.
• Proficiency with FPGA tools (Modelsim, Synplify, Quartus, Vivado).
• Version control knowledge (Git, Subversion).
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and meet aggressive schedules.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with clear status reporting.
• Bachelor’s Degree in engineering or science plus 4 years related experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and maintain hardware requirements traceable to system requirements in DOORS.
• Create complex FPGA designs achieving DAL A objectives.
• Perform rigorous verification activities and reviews to demonstrate compliance.
• Evaluate design/verification tools to avoid introduction of errors, especially for Level A hardware.
• Maintain detailed design decisions and verification records for certification.
• Collaborate with systems engineers, software teams, and certification authorities on integrated safety.

Skills

DO-254 compliance

RTL coding

VHDL/Verilog

FPGA design

Documentation & traceability

Collaboration across teams

Test planning & verification

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science

Tools

Modelsim

Synplify

Quartus

Vivado

Job description

We need someone to review FPGA Test Plan and help write Test Procedures and Test cases. It will nice to have a contractor who has done FPGA testing in the lab as per the Procedures and write Test Report that meets DAL A rigor.

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and innovative Senior Software Engineering Contractor to work with our Applied Research and Technology (ART) Microelectronics Technology team. Your work will contribute to the development of cutting-edge defense solutions across Mission Systems, leveraging your expertise in the design, implementation, verification, and integration of high-performance digital FPGAs. These solutions will undergo the highest level of certification rigor in accordance with DO-254 DAL A requirements.

What You Will Do

• Requirements Management: Developing, reviewing, and maintaining hardware requirements to ensure completeness, correctness, and traceability to system-level requirements in DOORS.
• Design and Implementation: Creating complex hardware designs, often using FPGAs, that meet DAL A objectives.
• Verification and Validation: Performing rigorous verification activities, including functional testing, quantitative analysis, and reviews, to demonstrate that the hardware meets all requirements
• Tool Assessment: Evaluating and qualifying design and verification tools to ensure they do not introduce errors, especially for Level A hardware
• Documentation and Compliance: Maintaining detailed records of design decisions, verification results, and traceability matrices to satisfy certification authorities
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working closely with systems engineers, software teams, and certification authorities to ensure integrated system safety.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Proven experience in FPGA development and DO-254 compliance processes.
• Familiarity with DO-254 DAL A, Mil-516C related certification guidance.
• Expertise in verification planning, testing, and tool qualification.
• Ability to produce thorough documentation and maintain traceability from requirements to implementation and verification.
• RTL coding and simulation in VHDL or Verilog
• Digital circuit architecture, design, resource tradeoffs, timing analysis and timing closure
• Testbench development for the verification of RTL blocks using VHDL or System Verilog.
• Proficiency using FPGA simulation and synthesis tools (e.g. Modelsim, Synplify, Quartus, Vivado, or other FPGA-specific tools)
• Familiarity with revision control concepts and tools (e.g. Git, Subversion)
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, team with engineers of a variety of skills and backgrounds, and matrix into projects with aggressive schedules and frequent milestones.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to document and present one's work and status
• Bachelor’s Degree in applicable engineering or science field plus 4 years related experience.