Senior Firmware Engineer

NewSpace Systems (Pty) Ltd; Somerset West; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

NewSpace Systems seeks a Senior Firmware Design Engineer to contribute to the development, implementation, and verification of advanced satellite communication systems. You will design and support firmware for aerospace applications, ensuring high performance, reliability, and compliance across the lifecycle.

The role involves DSP algorithms, FPGA-based implementations, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to define engineering requirements and documentation.

Qualifications

• B.Sc/B.Eng in Electronic Engineering from a recognized institution.
• Firmware development using VHDL or Verilog (8+ years).
• Designing and building high-reliability electronic products (5–7+ years).
• Experience with high-speed digital design, schematics, and PCB layout (Altium).
• 8+ years designing and simulating analog and digital circuits.
• 8+ years testing and debugging electronic circuits.
• Software development in C, C++, and Python.
• DSP algorithms and communication waveforms modelling with MATLAB or Python.

Responsibilities

• Develop embedded firmware for satellite communication systems including architecture, creation, debugging and testing.
• Support hardware integration.
• Research and testing of theoretical designs.
• Derive engineering requirements from system-level needs with a multidisciplinary team.
• Create and maintain specifications, test procedures, and design reports.
• Collaborate with Industrialization, Production and Quality to bring up production and resolve issues.
• Attend requirement and proposal discussions with clients as needed.

Skills

C/C++/Python

DSP algorithms

MATLAB modelling

HDL (VHDL/Verilog)

High-speed digital design

Altium Designer

Leadership

Communication

Education

B.Sc/B.Eng in Electronic Engineering

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

The Firmware Design Engineer is responsible for contributing to the development, implementation, and verification of advanced satellite communication systems within a multidisciplinary engineering team. The role focuses on designing and supporting firmware solutions for aerospace applications, ensuring high performance, reliability, and compliance with industry standards throughout the product development and manufacturing lifecycle.

KEY TASKS

The Senior Firmware Design Engineer will be responsible for implementing functionalities such as DSP algorithms and communication protocols, high-speed interface protocols, and networking protocols in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs):

Develop all aspects of an embedded system firmware implementation, including architecting firmware implementation and creating, debugging and testing firmware

Supporting hardware integration.

Research, develop and testing of theoretical and conceptual designs.

Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to derive and define engineering requirements based on system-level requirements.

Create and maintain formal engineering documentation such as specifications, test procedures, design reports, and production documentation.

Work with the Industrialization, Production, and Quality departments to bring up production and resolve manufacturing issues.

Attending requirement and proposal discussions with clients when required.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

QUALIFICATION:

B.Sc/B.Eng degree in Electronic Engineering from a recognized institution

Experience (ideally within aerospace or defence industry):

Firmware development using VHDL or Verilog (8+ years)

Designing and building high-reliability electronic products (5–7+ years)

Additional knowledge areas that would strengthen the application:

Experience with high-speed digital design, schematics, and PCB layout (preferably Altium Designer)

8+ years designing and simulating analog and digital electronic circuits

8+ years testing and debugging electronic circuits

Software development experience in C, C++, and Python

Experience modelling DSP algorithms (e.g., FFT, filters) and communication waveforms using MATLAB or Python

Experience in designing and architecting communication systems

Proven leadership and mentoring abilities

COMPETENCIES & SKILLS

Self-motivated and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership

Innovative thinker, able to develop creative solutions to complex problems

Highly responsible and accountable for delivering quality results

Strong team player, able to collaborate effectively across disciplines

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Customer-focused, with the ability to understand and meet client needs

Resilient, adaptable, and able to recover quickly from setbacks

Flexible and capable of managing multiple tasks in fast-paced, ambiguous environments

Resourceful, able to find solutions independently when needed

Strong self-management skills, able to set priorities and meet deadlines