Senior Firmware Engineer

Job Juncture; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Job Juncture in Herndon, VA is seeking an experienced Firmware Engineer to contribute to our Research and Development Division, developing, integrating, and testing firmware for space-based electro-optical systems.

You will lead firmware architecture and implementation, collaborate with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers, and drive high-reliability validation across the full development lifecycle.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in EE or equivalent required.
• 7+ years firmware development experience.
• Space-grade design experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead firmware architecture and implementation for space-based payloads.
• End-to-end firmware lifecycle: requirements to validation.
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers.
• Conduct lab debugging and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Participate in code reviews and process improvements.
• Apply high-reliability techniques like fault tolerance and radiation mitigation.

Skills

Firmware engineering

VHDL

SystemVerilog

FPGA

C/C++

Linux

Education

BS or MS in EE

Tools

GitHub

CI/CD for FPGA

Synthesis tools

Job description

Job description:

We are looking for an experienced Firmware Engineer to contribute to the development of products on our Research and Development Division in Herndon VA. As part of our R&D division, you would join our firmware team to develop, integrate, and test our firmware products in our space-based, electro-optical systems.

Essential Job Duties:

• Lead and contribute to firmware architecture and implementation for space-based electro-optical payloads and laser systems


• Perform end-to-end firmware development lifecycle: from requirements analysis through design, coding, simulation, verification, and validation


• Collaborate closely with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers in cross-functional teams to define interfaces, resolve design issues, and ensure seamless system integration


• Participate in task-based iterative development cycles, incorporating rapid feedback, frequent integration points, and incremental testing to meet mission reliability goals


• Conduct lab-based debugging, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and system-level validation using diagnostic tools and protocols


• Support peer code reviews, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement of development processes and best practices


• Apply high-reliability and space-grade techniques (e.g., fault tolerance, radiation mitigation) in a collaborative, team-oriented environment Contribute to documentation, design reviews, and risk identification throughout the product lifecycle

Job Requirements:

Experience and Expertise Required 7+ years relevant experience BS/MS in EE or equivalent Expertise with firmware engineering, VHDL (RTL), System Verilog (Testing) Expertise with Digital Signal Processing, precision timing, optical comms (modems), LIDAR Experience with Xilinx, Microchip, and Lattice FPGAs and their associated development tools Experience developing test benches and running simulations to exercise the design and to verify compliance Experience interfacing and working with hardware designers during development, integration, and test phases Experience using schematics and block diagrams as inputs for firmware design Experience in high-speed serial links: GTY/GTM, JESD204B/C, Ethernet, SpaceWire Experience in standard peripheral interfaces: SPI, I2C, UART, LVDS, etc. Experience in memory interfaces: DDR3/4, QDR, FRAM, etc. Experience with GitHub, CI/CD for FPGA flows, code reviews, automated linting, synthesis, regression testing, timing closure, bitstream generation, release tagging

Bonus Areas Experience in Python for build/testing automation and data analysis Experience with Linux, scripting, Docker containers, and automation Experience developing Hi-Rel/Space programs and TMR coding Experience developing code (C, C++) for microcontrollers Experience with VS Code

Company Overview:

We are a leading developer of laser and electro-optic systems for the aerospace community, with key contributions to lasers for atmospheric sensing, laser communications, and lidar sensors for NASA, DoD, and commercial customers.

Why is This a Great Opportunity:

We are looking for an experienced Firmware Engineer to contribute to the development of products on our Research and Development Division in Herndon VA. As part of our R&D division, you would join our firmware team to develop, integrate, and test our firmware products in our space-based, electro-optical systems.

Compensation:

Salary Type : Annual Salary

Salary Min : $ 140000

Salary Max : $ 210000

Currency Type : USD