Signal Processing Specialist Field Applications Engineer (FAE)-West Region

Altera; Colorado; Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Altera is seeking a Signal Processing Specialist Field Applications Engineer to advise customers on architectural decisions for FPGA-based signal processing solutions across communications, aerospace and defense, industrial, and AI-driven applications. The role spans concept through production deployment, including DirectRF initiatives and RF processing support.

Responsibilities include pre-sales design-in, customer engagements, and collaboration with ADG to enable end-to-end RF signal

Qualifications

• 10+ years in signal processing or related domains.
• 10+ years FPGA/hardware-accelerated development.
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink and Python/C++.
• Willingness to travel as required.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary technical advisor for signal processing applications using Altera FPGA solutions.
• Engage with customer engineering teams to understand system-level requirements and recommend architectures.
• Lead technical discussions on signal processing, radar, imaging, AI/ML inference, and RF systems.
• Guide customers through design cycle from algorithm development to FPGA deployment.
• Partner with Sales and Field Applications to identify and drive strategic opportunities.

Skills

Signal processing

FPGA/HDL development

RF/ EW know-how

Algorithm optimization

Customer engagement

Education

Bachelor's in EE/CE/CS/Signal Processing

PhD in EE/Signals/CE (preferred)

Tools

Quartus

Vivado

MATLAB

Simulink

Python

C/C++

Job description

The Signal Processing Specialist Field Applications Engineer (FAE) serves as a trusted technical advisor to customers, helping architect, develop, and deploy advanced signal processing solutions using Altera FPGA and heterogeneous compute technologies. This role bridges customer requirements, field sales, and engineering teams to accelerate adoption of high-performance signal processing solutions across communications, aerospace and defense, industrial, and emerging AI-driven applications. The Signal Processing Specialist FAE combines deep domain expertise in signal processing algorithms and system architecture with strong customer engagement skills to support strategic opportunities from concept through production deployment. In addition, this role will play a key role in enabling DirectRF and next-generation signal processing initiatives, helping customers solve complex challenges involving RF digitization, radar, electronic warfare, communications, imaging, and real-time data processing.

Customer Engagement & Technical Leadership

• Act as the primary technical advisor for signal processing applications utilizing Altera FPGA solutions.
• Engage directly with customer engineering teams to understand system-level requirements and recommend optimized architectures.
• Lead technical discussions involving signal processing, communications, radar, imaging, AI/ML inference, and RF systems.

Pre-Sales & Design-In Support

• Partner with Sales and Field Applications teams to identify, qualify, and drive strategic signal processing opportunities.
• Guide customers through the complete design cycle, from algorithm development and modeling through FPGA implementation and deployment.
• Assist customers in evaluating performance, power, scalability, and system tradeoffs.

Key Technical Areas

• Digital filtering and multi-rate systems.
• Radar and electronic warfare processing.
• Image and video processing.
• AI/ML integration within signal processing pipelines.
• Debug and resolve complex algorithmic, architectural, and implementation challenges.
• Support performance optimization and hardware acceleration strategies leveraging FPGA-based processing.

DirectRF and Advanced RF Processing Support

• Partner with Altera's Aerospace, Defense, and Government (ADG) organization to support strategic DirectRF opportunities.
• Help customers architect end-to-end RF signal processing solutions spanning RF digitization, transport, processing, and analytics.
• Support applications involving:
  • Electronic Warfare (EW)
  • Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)
• Provide customer feedback to influence future DirectRF and signal processing product roadmaps.

Additional Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with Product Marketing, Engineering, Architecture, and Business Development teams.
• Deliver customer and internal training on signal processing solutions, methodologies, and development tools.
• Contribute to application notes, white papers, technical workshops, and reference designs.
• Help define best practices and reusable methodologies across the FAE organization.
• Support strategic opportunities and accounts with significant revenue potential.
• Drive measurable design wins and customer success outcomes.
• Assist in tracking pipeline growth, engagement metrics, and strategic program execution.
• Strong customer engagement and relationship-building skills.
• Comfortable presenting at customer events, industry conferences, and technical forums.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Signal Processing, or related STEM field.
• ~10+ years of experience in signal processing, communications, radar, RF, imaging, or related application domains.
• ~10+ years of experience developing FPGA-based or hardware-accelerated solutions.
• ~Strong understanding of digital signal processing concepts and implementation techniques.
• ~Experience with FPGA development environments such as Quartus, Vivado, or equivalent.
• ~Proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C/C++, or similar signal processing development tools.
• ~Experience modeling and validating signal processing algorithms prior to hardware implementation.
• ~Ability to travel as required.
• D. in Electrical Engineering, Signal Processing, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• ~Electronic Warfare (EW)
• ~Image/video processing
• ~AI/ML for signal processing applications
• ~Software-defined radio (SDR)

Additional Technical Experience

• Experience with high-level design methodologies and tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, DSP Builder, HLS, OneAPI, or model-based design environments.
• Experience in customer-facing roles such as Field Applications Engineering, Technical Marketing, Solution Architecture, or Technical Sales.
• Experience converting signal processing algorithms into optimized FPGA implementations.
• Background supporting Aerospace & Defense customers and mission-critical applications.

At Altera

At Altera, you'll help customers solve some of the industry's most demanding real-time processing challenges while working at the forefront of FPGA innovation. You'll collaborate with world-class engineers, influence future technologies, and enable next-generation solutions across communications, aerospace and defense, AI, and intelligent edge applications.

The compensation below is reflective of a sales role that includes a salary + incentive.

Regular Shift: Shift 1 (United States of America) Primary Location: Sacramento, California, United States (Remote) Additional Locations: Arizona, United States (Remote), Austin, Texas, United States (Remote), Colorado, United States (Remote), Illinois, United States (Remote), Minnesota, United States (Remote), Nevada, United States (Remote), Oregon, United States (Remote), Utah, United States (Remote), Washington, United States (Remote)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by local law, regulation, or ordinance.