Senior FPGA Architect — Space & Mission Systems

General Atomics; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 119,000 - 208,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9x80 work schedule

Job summary

General Atomics is seeking a Senior FPGA Engineer within the Mission Systems team in Herndon, VA. The role focuses on FPGA/ digital hardware development for spacecraft payloads and ground electronics, with responsibilities spanning architecture, RTL design, verification, and deployment.

The position requires extensive experience in FPGA development, embedded systems, and C programming, plus the ability to lead technical reviews, mentor engineers, and coordinate with government customers.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in engineering or related field with progressive experience (12+ years with bachelor, 10+ with master, 7+ with PhD).
• Extensive FPGA, digital hardware, and embedded systems expertise; ability to define architectures and lead from requirements through deployment.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills for interfacing with teams, customers, and government representatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead FPGA hardware/firmware development, architecture, RTL design, simulation, and timing analysis.
• Define technical approaches and provide direction for complex engineering problems.
• Coordinate testing, verification, and integration across spacecraft hardware and ground electronics.
• Develop long-term technical plans and ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Mentor engineers and lead multidisciplinary project teams.

Skills

FPGA development

Digital hardware

Embedded systems

Architectures & RTL design

Leadership & project management

Technical communication

C programming

Linux knowledge

Schematic capture

Customer-focused

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

FPGA toolchains

Schematic capture tools

Lab equipment (oscilloscopes, analyzers)

Job description

General Atomics is seeking a Senior FPGA Engineer within the Mission Systems team in Herndon, VA. The role focuses on FPGA/ digital hardware development for spacecraft payloads and ground electronics, with responsibilities spanning architecture, RTL design, verification, and deployment.

The position requires extensive experience in FPGA development, embedded systems, and C programming, plus the ability to lead technical reviews, mentor engineers, and coordinate with government customers.