Senior FPGA Engineer

Array Labs; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Array Labs is seeking a Senior FPGA Engineer based in San Francisco, California. The successful candidate will develop FPGA logic and embedded software for our advanced radar systems. Responsibilities include designing high-throughput modules, maintaining firmware, and collaborating closely with engineering teams.

This position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 5–8 years of experience in FPGA design. Join us to contribute to innovative satellite technology and critical earth observation systems.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of experience in FPGA design and development.
• Experience with embedded C/C++ for firmware development.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment under significant time constraints.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to bring-up and integration of FPGA-based platforms.
• Develop embedded software and firmware that support radar systems.
• Create automation and diagnostic tools in Python.

Skills

FPGA design

Embedded C/C++

Teamwork

Communication skills

Python scripting

Education

Bachelor's in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Xilinx FPGA design tools

PetaLinux

Yocto

Job description

Array Labs builds advanced radar systems to help humanity understand and respond to changes across the physical world. We’re launching a coordinated fleet of radar satellites to create a high-resolution 3D map of the Earth – updated in real time – enabling faster, smarter decision‑making for government and commercial organizations supporting disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and mission‑critical geopolitical intelligence. We design and build our satellites end‑to‑end, producing the world’s most advanced earth observation satellites. Our fleet will deliver unprecedented levels of accuracy, coverage, and responsiveness to power critical insights precisely where they’re needed most.

About The Job

As a Senior FPGA Engineer, you will develop the FPGA logic and embedded software that drive Array’s radar payloads and on‑orbit processing systems. Your work could include designing FPGA modules for high‑throughput sensing and data movement, writing and maintaining C/C++ firmware for Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC devices, or building Linux‑based embedded systems using PetaLinux and Yocto, collaborating closely with digital, RF, signal processing, and systems engineers to deliver reliable, high‑performance embedded solutions. The software and FPGA architectures you build will directly influence radar timing, data integrity, processing throughput, and system reliability on orbit.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to bring‑up and integration of FPGA‑based platforms, including Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoCs
• Support the design and implementation of FPGA modules for reliable, high‑throughput data movement
• Develop embedded software and firmware that support Array’s radar sensors, communication links, and satellite systems
• Participate in building and maintaining Linux‑based embedded systems using tools such as PetaLinux or Yocto
• Create automation, diagnostic, and test tools in Python to accelerate development and validation
• Collaborate across digital, RF, signal processing, and systems teams to evaluate performance, debug issues, and refine embedded architectures

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Electrical or Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 5‑8 years of experience in FPGA design and development
• Experience with Xilinx FPGA design tools and workflows
• Experience with embedded C/C++ for firmware development
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills
• High levels of self‑motivation and personal accountability
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment under significant time constraints

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience building software for complex embedded systems or custom SoCs
• Familiarity with Linux‑based embedded systems development (Petalinux/Yocto)
• Familiarity with Linux kernel drivers and related HW/SW interfaces
• Hands‑on experience in FPGA build and deploy processes
• Proficiency in Python scripting for automation and testing
• Experience with satellite systems or aerospace applications
• Ability to read, interpret and modify schematic diagrams

ITAR Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer

• Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Interview Process

We will conduct interviews via Google Meet; the typical process takes around 2‑4 weeks to complete from start to finish.

Hiring And Compensation Strategy

• find uncommonly good people
• pay them uncommonly well

You can anticipate competitive pay, with high flexibility between salary and equity‑based compensation.

Why Join Array Labs?

Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high‑resolution, real‑time, three‑dimensional model of Earth. Our next‑generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity’s ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale.

In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction.