Senior FPGA Design & Verification Engineer – TeraWave

Blue Origin; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 156,802 - 219,522; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) match

Stock options

Paid time off

Job summary

Blue Origin seeks a Senior FPGA Design and Verification Engineer to develop the digital signal processing and physical layer for the Terawave modem. Architect, design, implement, and verify FPGA-based modem and PHY solutions for spacecraft and ground systems, across architecture to hardware bring-up with cross-team collaboration.

You will work with latest hardware, apply rigorous verification, timing analysis, and design-for-test practices, and contribute to radiation-tolerant, high-reliability

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent.
• 7+ years FPGA design and verification experience.
• Strong proficiency in VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog.
• Experience with DSP/communications/modem functions in FPGAs.
• Experience with FPGA toolchains and simulation.
• Experience with verification methodologies including self-checking testbenches and coverage.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design FPGA modem and physical layer on SoC FPGA.
• Translate DSP requirements into RTL implementations.
• Develop and execute verification strategies (UVM, constrained-random, coverage).
• Perform timing closure and resource optimization.
• Support hardware bring-up and lab testing.
• Collaborate with DSP/communications engineers to optimize PHY algorithms.
• Participate in design reviews and design-for-test practices.
• Support radiation-tolerant and high-reliability design considerations.

Skills

FPGA design

RTL design

DSP/modem in FPGA

FPGA toolchains

Verification methodologies

Timing analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

Xilinx/AMD tooling

Intel/Altera tooling

Simulation tools

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!

Blue Origin is pioneering the future of space-based communications with TeraWave, a revolutionary satellite communications network designed to deliver symmetrical data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere on Earth. This multi-orbit constellation will consist of optically interconnected satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO), providing enterprise-grade connectivity for critical operations worldwide.

Overview

Blue Origin is seeking a Senior FPGA Design and Verification Engineer to develop the digital signal processing and physical layer implementation for the Terawave next generation modem. In this role, you will architect, design, implement, and verify FPGA-based modem and physical layer solutions that enable robust, high-reliability communications for our spacecraft and ground systems.

Using latest generation hardware and modern design methodologies, you will work across the full development lifecycle – from architecture and algorithm mapping through implementation, verification, and hardware bring-up – collaborating closely with systems, DSP/communications, RF, and avionics engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design FPGA implementations of modem and physical layer functions on a SoC FPGA platform.
• Translate communications system and DSP algorithm requirements into efficient, resource-optimized RTL (VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog).
• Develop and execute comprehensive verification strategies, including self-checking testbenches, constrained-random verification, and coverage-driven methodologies (e.g., UVM).
• Perform timing closure, resource optimization, and design implementation for high-performance FPGA and system-on-chip (SoC) platforms.
• Support integration and hardware bring-up, including lab testing, debug, and validation against system-level performance requirements.
• Collaborate with DSP/communications engineers to co-design and optimize physical layer algorithms for fixed-point FPGA implementation.
• Contribute to design reviews, documentation, and design-for-test/design-for-reliability practices consistent with aerospace-grade development.
• Support radiation-tolerant and high-reliability design considerations for space-based applications.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent.
• 7+ years of experience in FPGA design and verification.
• Strong proficiency in RTL design using VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog.
• Experience implementing DSP or communications/modem functions in FPGAs (e.g., modulation/demodulation, FEC, filtering, digital front-ends).
• Proficiency with FPGA development toolchains (e.g., Xilinx/AMD or Intel/Altera) and simulation tools.
• Experience with verification methodologies including self-checking testbenches and functional coverage.
• Strong understanding of timing analysis, constraints, and timing closure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in digital communications theory and physical layer design (synchronization, equalization, carrier/timing recovery, link budgets).
• Experience with system-on-chip (SoC) platforms integrating FPGA fabric and embedded processors.
• Experience in embedded development in C/C++ or writing low level drivers.
• Experience developing test venue software and hardware infrastructure for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing environment.

Base Pay Range

CA applicants: $156,802.00 – $219,522.45. WA applicants: $156,802.00 – $219,522.45.

Bonus and Other Compensation

Other site ranges may differ.

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check

• Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check.
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation.
• Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 10,000 lbs. and/or transport placardable amounts of hazardous materials may be subject to additional federal regulations (e.g., driver qualification files, medical certification, road test, hours of service, drug and alcohol testing). Delivery of additional required documentation varies by role.
• Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short- and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
• Stock options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours per week).
• Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
• Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for bonuses based on the company’s intent to reward individual contributions; bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated workforce. Blue Origin hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Blue Origin will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Washington Fair Chance Act, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance, and other applicable laws.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation

Applicants wishing to receive information on Blue Origin’s affirmative action plans, or applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application and interview process, please contact [e-mail]. Please note this is a publicly managed inbox. Do not include personal medical information in your request.