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

754 Altera Semiconductor Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd.; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 167,000 - 267,000; Full time

Job summary

Altera is seeking a Signal Processing Specialist Field Applications Engineer to act as the primary technical advisor for state-of-the-art signal processing applications. You will collaborate with customer teams to architect and deploy FPGA-based solutions across communications, aerospace, defense, and AI-driven use cases.

The role requires deep DSP knowledge, strong customer engagement, and experience with FPGA toolchains.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Signal Processing, or related STEM field.
• 10+ years in signal processing, communications, radar, RF, imaging, or related domains.
• 10+ years developing FPGA-based or hardware-accelerated solutions.
• Strong DSP concepts and implementation knowledge.
• Experience with FPGA tools (Quartus/Vivado) and MATLAB/Python/C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary technical advisor for signal processing applications using FPGA solutions.
• Engage with customer engineering teams to understand system requirements and propose optimized architectures.
• Lead discussions on signal processing, RF systems, radar, imaging, and AI/ML integration.
• Guide customers from algorithm development to FPGA deployment and performance evaluation.
• Collaborate with Sales, Field Applications, and product teams to enable strategic opportunities.

Skills

Signal processing

Customer engagement

System architecture

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related STEM field

Tools

Quartus

Vivado

MATLAB

Simulink

Python

C/C++

Job description

Job Details: 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.

Key Responsibilities

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. Influence design decisions and technology selection through deep technical expertise and consultative engagement.

Pre-Sales & Design-In Support

Partner with Sales and Field Applications teams to identify, qualify, and drive strategic signal processing opportunities. Demonstrate and position Altera solutions for real-time signal processing workloads. 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.

Signal Processing Expertise & Solution Development

Provide technical leadership in signal processing disciplines including:

• Digital filtering and multi-rate systems
• FFTs and spectral analysis
• Beamforming and MIMO systems
• Radar and electronic warfare processing
• Wireless communications and channelization
• Image and video processing
• Sensor fusion and real-time analytics
• AI/ML integration within signal processing pipelines

Debug and resolve complex algorithmic, architectural, and implementation challenges. Develop reusable solution architectures, proof-of-concepts, demonstrations, and technical collateral. 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: Radar, Electronic Warfare (EW), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Satellite Communications (SATCOM), Wireless and 5G/6G communications. Provide customer feedback to influence future DirectRF and signal processing product roadmaps.

Collaboration & Enablement

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.

Business Impact & Opportunity Ownership

Support strategic opportunities and accounts with significant revenue potential. Contribute technical insight into opportunity prioritization, competitive positioning, and resource allocation. Drive measurable design wins and customer success outcomes. Assist in tracking pipeline growth, engagement metrics, and strategic program execution.

Soft Skills

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills with the ability to explain complex signal processing concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong customer engagement and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and analytical abilities.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Comfortable presenting at customer events, industry conferences, and technical forums.

Qualifications

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Signal Processing, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in one or more of the following areas: Radar systems, Electronic Warfare (EW), Wireless communications, Satellite communications, Image/video processing, AI/ML for signal processing applications.
• Software-defined radio (SDR) 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.
• Familiarity with DirectRF architectures and RF signal chain design.
• Experience converting signal processing algorithms into optimized FPGA implementations.
• Background supporting Aerospace & Defense customers and mission-critical applications.

Why Join 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.

Job Type

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)

Compensation

$166.9K - $266.6K USD

AI Recruitment Screening Note

We use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants for the position. Applicants must be eligible for any required U.S. export authorizations.

Posting Statement

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.

About Altera

Altera: Accelerating Innovators Altera provides leadership programmable solutions that are easy-to-use and deploy in applications from cloud to edge, offering limitless AI possibilities. Our end-to-end broad portfolio of products including FPGAs, CPLDs, Intellectual Property, development tools, System on Modules, SmartNICs and IPUs provide the flexibility to accelerate innovation. Altera is helping to shape the future through pioneering innovation that unlocks extraordinary possibilities for everyone on the planet.