Senior FPGA Programmer

Brooks Automation US LLC; Chelmsford (MA); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

Company paid holidays

Job summary

Brooks Automation is seeking a Senior FPGA Engineer to lead architecture, development and implementation of advanced FPGA-based systems for motion control, machine vision, and distributed automation platforms.

Responsibilities include HDL design, real-time control loops, multi-channel processing, and hardware integration. The role demands 8+ years in FPGA development, strong VHDL/Verilog skills, and experience with Xilinx/Intel families, embedded Linux, and DSP concepts.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics or related field.
• 8+ years FPGA development experience.
• Proficiency with VHDL and Verilog/SystemVerilog.
• Experience with one or more FPGA families (Xilinx/Intel/Lattice).
• Experience in real-time FPGA control systems and multi-channel processing.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, development and implementation of FPGA-based systems for motion control, machine vision and distributed automation.
• Develop HDL designs using VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog and create modular FPGA architectures.
• Design real-time control loops, multi-axis synchronization and high-throughput data paths.
• Collaborate with EE, controls, mechanics and software teams; optimize latency and determinism.

Skills

FPGA development

Real-time control

Digital signal processing

Embedded Linux

MATLAB/Simulink

Education

B.S., M.S., or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related

Tools

VHDL

Verilog/SystemVerilog

Xilinx/AMD

Intel/Altera

Zynq SoCs

PCIe

Job description

Brooks is a leading provider of automation solutions with over 40 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, offering precision robotics, integrated automation systems, and contamination control solutions that empower chip manufacturers worldwide. Our product portfolio includes a range of automation solutions, including robots, vacuum systems, and atmospheric robots for semiconductor manufacturing (www.brooks.com). Are you looking for a place where you can be part of a transformation? Join us at Brooks Automation and be a part of a dynamic organization that is shaping the future of technology.

Senior FPGA Programmer Job Description Senior FPGA Engineer – Real-Time Control, Vision & Distributed Systems Position Summary We are seeking a highly skilled Senior FPGA Engineer to lead the architecture, development, and implementation of advanced FPGA-based systems for next-generation motion control, machine vision, and distributed automation platforms.

Key Responsibilities

FPGA Architecture & Development

• Lead development of FPGA-based systems including:
• Real-time control architectures
• Sensor acquisition pipelines
• High-speed communication interfaces
• Hardware acceleration engines
• Multi-channel synchronized processing systems
• Design and implement:
• HDL-based designs using VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog
• Modular and reusable FPGA architectures
• Deterministic low-latency processing pipelines
• Multi-clock domain systems
• High-bandwidth data movement architectures
• Develop FPGA solutions for:
• Motion control
• Precision positioning systems
• Machine vision
• High-speed metrology
• Electromagnetic actuator control

Motion Control & Real-Time Systems

• Develop FPGA implementations supporting:
• High-bandwidth control loops
• Current control loops
• Position and velocity control
• Multi-axis synchronized motion
• Deterministic distributed control architectures
• Implement:
• PWM generation
• Encoder interfaces
• Real-time feedback processing
• State-space and advanced control algorithms
• Control loop acceleration

Support architectures capable of:

• Sub-millisecond closed-loop response
• Hundreds of synchronized control channels
• Distributed real-time execution

Machine Vision & Sensor Processing

• Design FPGA pipelines for:
• High-speed camera interfaces
• Real-time image acquisition
• Marker extraction and tracking
• Edge detection and feature extraction
• Sensor fusion architectures
• Develop real-time processing solutions for:
• Gigabit Ethernet Vision
• MIPI interfaces
• Camera Link
• CoaXPress
• Custom sensor interfaces
• Implement:
• DMA architectures
• Frame buffering
• Hardware image processing accelerators
• Deterministic vision-processing pipelines

High-Speed Data & Communication Systems

• Develop FPGA-based communication architectures including:
• EtherCAT
• SPI Parallel
• SPI UART
• CAN
• PCIe
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Multi-Gigabit SerDes Design:
• Distributed synchronization architectures
• Precision timing systems
• Networked FPGA platforms
• Multi-node control systems
• Support scalable architectures capable of coordinating large numbers of distributed devices.

Hardware Integration & Board Bring-Up

• Collaborate closely with:
• Electrical engineers
• Controls engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Software engineers
• Systems architects
• Support: FPGA board selection SoC architecture development Hardware bring-up and validation Signal integrity debugging Power and thermal optimization Interface with: ADCs DACs Sensors Power electronics Motor drivers High-speed memory systems
• Performance Optimization Lead efforts to optimize:
• FPGA resource utilization
• Latency
• Throughput
• Memory bandwidth
• Determinism
• Power consumption
• Create automated test environments for:
• Functional verification
• Hardware-in-the-loop validation
• Timing closure verification
• Production readiness testing

Innovation & Technical Leadership

• Drive technical innovation through:
• Patent disclosures
• Intellectual property creation
• Architecture reviews
• Technical mentoring Best-practice development
• Contribute to next-generation:
• Control architectures
• Vision systems
• Motion control platforms AI-assisted hardware acceleration

Required Qualifications

• B.S., M.S., or PhD in: Electrical Engineering Computer Engineering Robotics Controls Engineering Related technical discipline
• 8+ years of FPGA development experience
• Expert proficiency with:
• VHDL Verilog/SystemVerilog FPGA design methodologies
• Strong experience with one or more FPGA families: AMD/Xilinx Intel/Altera Lattice
• Demonstrated experience developing:
• Real-time FPGA control systems High-speed sensor interfaces Hardware accelerators Multi-channel synchronized processing architectures
• Strong understanding of:
• Digital signal processing Control systems Motion control Hardware/software partitioning Timing closure methodologies
• Experience with:
• Simulation and verification Testbench development Hardware debugging Lab instrumentation

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in:
• Precision motion control systems Semiconductor equipment Robotics Advanced automation Machine vision
• Knowledge of:
• EtherCAT networks Distributed controls Sensor fusion Computer vision acceleration FPGA-based image processing
• Experience implementing:
• Kalman filtering State estimation Motor control Electromagnetic actuator control Real-time control loops
• Familiarity with:
• MATLAB/Simulink Python C/C++ Embedded Linux
• Experience with:
• Zynq SoCs PCIe architectures High-speed memory interfaces (DDR4/DDR5) Multi-gigabit serial transceivers Compensation

Compensation: Base Salary Range: $118,265.18 USD to $160,005.83 USD Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

Benefits

At Brooks, we offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: Medical, Dental, Vision and Disability Insurance 401(k) Plan Exempt employees are provided company paid holidays and Flexible Vacation to enjoy personal time off and incidental sickness. Have a question about our benefits and compensation package? Your recruiter can share more with you during the hiring process.

Work Location & Flexibility

At Brooks, we aim to foster a collaborative and engaging environment while offering flexibility where possible. Work arrangements may include a mix of in-office and remote work, depending on the nature of the role and business needs. Specific expectations will be shared during the interview process.

Brooks is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and proudly serves as an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. Diversity enhances our innovative capabilities and strengthens our ability to serve our customers and communities effectively. At Brooks Automation, we celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives each individual brings, believing they are essential to our collective success. Join us in building a workplace where every team member is valued and can thrive.

For applicants with disabilities requiring accommodations, don't hesitate to get in touch with [e-mail] or call [phone] to discuss your needs. Review EEO Law & EEO Statement.

Brooks Automation participates in E-Verify to confirm eligibility for employment in the United States. For more details, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Since our founding in 1978, Brooks Automation has been a leading automation provider and trusted partner to the global manufacturing industry. Our customers choose the Brooks Automation platform because we consistently deliver best-in-class reliability and cost of ownership, with a solution that is optimized for value within their application. We deliver value through our understanding of the application challenge, providing solutions at scale that create an automated advantage for our customers. This benefits our customers with improved throughput and yield and a lower cost of ownership.