Senior FPGA Engineer, VHDL

L3Harris Technologies; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and disability insurance

401(k) match

Flexible spending accounts

Education assistance

Parental leave

Paid time off

Company-paid holidays

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies in San Diego, CA, seeks a Senior FPGA Engineer to lead high-performance FPGA designs for advanced communications systems. You will define architectures, develop VHDL, optimize implementations, and drive verification from concept to deployment.

Collaborating with hardware, software, and systems teams, you will mentor junior engineers, review designs, and help advance RF/digital fusion with cutting-edge FPGA technology. Travel up to 10% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience.
• Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience.
• In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.

Responsibilities

• Shape project plans and estimates so the team starts with a clear understanding of the FPGA work ahead.
• Turn system-level requirements into practical FPGA architectures and specifications.
• Work with RF and systems engineers to ensure digital and RF pieces fit together.
• Design and refine FPGA solutions for RF communication systems, including filtering, mixing, signal conversion.
• Build and verify DSP algorithms for modulation, demodulation, and other communication processing tasks.
• Prepare designs for target FPGA devices, run place-and-route with the right constraints, and analyze timing and resource usage.
• Contribute to and improve consistent development practices, including peer reviews and firmware processes.
• Create clear technical documentation—design review materials, block diagrams, interface documents, and test plans.
• Confirm performance through simulation, then integrate and test FPGA designs on actual circuit-card hardware.
• Active Secret Security Clearance or ability to obtain once hired.

Skills

VHDL development

High-speed digital design

Timing analysis

DSP algorithms

Embedded systems interfacing

RF principles

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Graduate Degree

13+ years experience in lieu of degree

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Signal generators

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Senior FPGA Engineer, VHDL

Job Code: 42454

Job Location: San Diego, CA

Job Schedule: 9/80 (employee's work 9 out of every 14 days - totaling 80 hours worked - and have every other Friday off)

Job Description:

You will lead the design and development of high‑performance FPGAs for advanced communications systems. As a senior technical contributor, you will define architectures, develop VHDL, and optimize FPGA implementations for performance, power, and resource efficiency. You will drive projects from concept through deployment, ensuring robust verification, validation, and integration into larger system architectures.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with hardware, software, and systems engineering teams, troubleshoot complex design issues, perform code reviews, and enhance existing FPGA designs for greater reliability and capability. You will also mentor junior engineers and help cultivate a culture of technical excellence and continuous innovation.

Success in this position requires deep experience in digital and RF‑related FPGA design, proficiency with tools such as Xilinx Vivado, Intel Quartus, and ModelSim, and up‑to‑date knowledge of emerging FPGA technologies and industry trends. Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects are essential.

This role may include up to 10% travel to support stakeholders and on‑site project needs.

Essential Functions:

• Help shape project plans and estimates so the team starts with a clear understanding of the FPGA work ahead.
• Take system‑level requirements and turn them into practical FPGA architectures and specifications.
• Work side‑by‑side with RF and systems engineers to make sure the digital and RF pieces fit together cleanly.
• Design and refine FPGA solutions for RF communication systems, including key functions like filtering, mixing, signal conversion, and error‑correction.
• Build and verify DSP algorithms for modulation, demodulation, and other communication processing tasks.
• Prepare designs for target FPGA devices, run place‑and‑route with the right constraints, and analyze timing and resource usage.
• Contribute to and improve consistent development practices, including peer reviews and firmware processes.
• Create clear technical documentation—design review materials, block diagrams, interface documents, and test plans.
• Confirm performance through simulation, then integrate and test FPGA designs on the actual circuit‑card hardware.
• Active Secret Security Clearance or ability to obtain once hired.

Required Qualifications (one of the following):

• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience
• Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience.
• In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.

Preferred Additional Skills:

• 9 years of experience with VHDL development and high-speed digital design and timing analysis.
• Experience with RF principles, including filtering, mixing, and signal conversion.
• Experience with digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms and their implementation on FPGAs.
• Experience with debugging tools including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and signal generators;system-level simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink.
• Experience with embedded systems and microcontroller interfacing
• Designing for space environments
• An active Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance
• Exceptional communication skills with ability to clearly document and present designs and implementations

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in California is $127,000 – $236,500. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.

L3Harris Technologies is an E-Verify Employer.