Senior FPGA Engineer

Rocket Lab; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab Optical Systems in Chantilly, VA seeks a Senior Firmware Engineer II to design FPGA firmware for advanced electro-optical space payloads. You will collaborate with hardware and software teams to deliver mission-critical solutions and support Tranche 3 in the U.S. SDA program.

The role requires 8+ years of FPGA firmware experience in VHDL, a bachelor’s in EE/CE, and the ability to obtain a U.S. government security clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, or equivalent discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in writing FPGA firmware from scratch in VHDL.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Work with hardware design team on requirements.
• Complete FPGA logic design, coding, simulation, and testing.
• Support hardware and software development teams in bring-up and test of products.
• Provide subject-matter expertise regarding design and automated test development procedures to customers and production support team.
• Perform research and analysis of data to determine design approach and feasibility.
• Execute debugging of the design in the lab.
• Perform synthesis, implementation, and timing analysis.

Skills

FPGA firmware development

VHDL

RTL design

C programming

Python

MATLAB

8+ years experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, or equivalent

Tools

Versal architecture

FPGA

Altium Designer

Job description

Rocket Lab’s Space Systems division builds complete spacecraft, precision payloads to the components and subsystems that allow them to thrive in space including solar panels, flight software, star trackers, optical systems, separation systems, and radios.

The Space Systems division has enabled more than 1,700 missions, ranging from interplanetary exploration, in-space manufacturing to national security and defense initiatives. We have built spacecraft, payloads, and components for missions to the Moon and Mars, working with partners including NASA, the Space Development Agency, and the U.S. Space Force. Whether it’s a single high-performance spacecraft, constellation, or the vertically integrated components that help get to space — our Space Systems division is empowering the boldest and most ambitious space missions.

SENIOR FIRMWARE ENGINEER II

Rocket Lab Optical Systems solves mission-critical space domain and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance challenges for Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customers. Our vision is to revolutionize the space-based payload market with innovative and novel designs for space, terrestrial, and airborne environments. Building on more than 20 years of electro-optical and infrared systems innovation from Geost, Rocket Lab Optical Systems delivers solutions to the warfighter for responsive, scalable sensing solutions across all orbital domains.

As a Senior Firmware Engineer II for Rocket Lab Optical Systems in Chantilly, VA, you will have the opportunity to support Tranche 3 of the U.S. Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture by designing FPGAs for advanced electro-optical space payloads.

WHAT YOU’LL GET TO DO

• Work with the hardware design team on requirements.
• Complete FPGA logic design, coding, simulation, and testing.
• Support hardware and software development teams in bring-up and test of products.
• Provide subject-matter expertise regarding design and automated test development procedures to customers and production support team.
• Perform research and analysis of data, such as customer proposed specifications, datasheets, or manuals to determine design approach and/or feasibility.
• Execute debugging of the design in the lab.
• Perform synthesis, implementation, and timing analysis.

YOU’LL BRING THESE QUALIFICATIONS SENIOR FIRMWARE ENGINEER II:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, or equivalent discipline
• 8+ years of experience in writing FPGA firmware from scratch in VHDL
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance

THESE QUALIFICATIONS WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience with Xilinx/AMD Versal architecture
• Experience with FPGAs and embedded systems in a radiation environment, including SEU/SEL impact and mitigation
• Experience in FPGA- or ASIC-based image processing algorithms
• Experience in both creating IP from scratch in RTL and integrating existing IP into RTL and block designs
• Familiarity with C, Python or MATLAB and/or experience translating algorithms from a scripted language to HDL
• Experience with software interfaces including interrupts and DMA
• Experience with DDR4, Aurora, and high-speed transceiver design and verification
• Familiarity with AXI Stream and AXI Memory Mapped interfaces
• PCB design and schematic capture and layout with tools such as Altium Designer

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus
• Regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers, operate computer keyboard and controls, and communicate verbally and in writing
• Must be physically able to commute to buildings

This position may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, computer work, and occasional exposure to moderate levels of noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.