Senior Firmware Engineer – Space Laser & Lidar Systems

NSS; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

NSS in Herndon, VA is seeking a Senior Firmware Engineer to lead firmware architecture and development for space-based laser and electro-optical systems. You will join the R&D division and work closely with hardware, software, and optical teams to deliver reliable, high-performance firmware for demanding aerospace applications.

The role requires 7+ years of relevant experience, a strong background in VHDL/SystemVerilog, DSP, and FPGA toolchains, and a track record of full lifecycle firmware

Qualifications

• 7+ years relevant experience.
• BS/MS in EE or equivalent.
• Expertise with firmware engineering, VHDL (RTL), SystemVerilog (Testing).
• Experience with Xilinx, Microchip, and Lattice FPGAs and their development tools.
• Experience developing test benches and simulations to verify design.
• Experience interfacing with hardware during development, integration & test.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to firmware architecture and implementation for space-based electro-optical payloads and laser systems
• End-to-end firmware development lifecycle from requirements analysis through design, coding, simulation, verification, and validation
• Collaborate with hardware, systems, software, and optical engineers to define interfaces and ensure system integration
• Participate in iterative development cycles with rapid feedback and frequent integration points
• Conduct lab-based debugging and hardware-in-the-loop testing for system validation
• Support peer code reviews and promote best practices in development processes
• Apply high-reliability/space-grade techniques in a collaborative team environment
• Contribute to documentation, design reviews, and risk identification throughout product lifecycle

Skills

Firmware engineering

VHDL RTL

SystemVerilog testing

DSP

LIDAR

Optical communications

FPGA tools

GitHub CI/CD

Education

BS/MS in EE

Tools

Xilinx tools

Microchip tools

Lattice FPGA tools

Job description

NSS in Herndon, VA is seeking a Senior Firmware Engineer to lead firmware architecture and development for space-based laser and electro-optical systems. You will join the R&D division and work closely with hardware, software, and optical teams to deliver reliable, high-performance firmware for demanding aerospace applications.

The role requires 7+ years of relevant experience, a strong background in VHDL/SystemVerilog, DSP, and FPGA toolchains, and a track record of full lifecycle firmware