Embedded Firmware Engineer - FPGA Development

Embedded Firmware Engineer

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

Job Summary

Firefly is seeking a motivated Embedded Firmware Engineer to contribute to FPGA logic development and verification for advanced embedded systems. This role emphasizes designing, implementing, optimizing, and verifying FPGA firmware for Microchip PolarFire SoCs, which combine RISC-V processors with low-power FPGA fabric for high-reliability applications. As the counterpart to our Linux software engineering team, you will collaborate closely on integrating FPGA logic with custom Linux distributions, ensuring seamless performance on custom hardware. You will work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment to deliver robust firmware for mission-critical space applications in industries such as aerospace, defense, and industrial automation.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and verify FPGA logic using VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog for Microchip PolarFire SoCs, including programmable logic, DSP blocks, and high-speed interfaces (e.g., PCIe, Ethernet, SERDES).
• Create and optimize IP cores and custom peripherals/accelerators tailored to PolarFire's architecture.
• Integrate FPGA firmware with embedded processors (e.g., RISC-V cores) and collaborate with software teams to support Board Support Packages (BSPs) and Linux kernel drivers.
• Build RTL verification environments with testbenches using UVM methodologies for design correctness and coverage.
• Perform functional verification, simulation, regression testing, and coverage analysis (e.g., functional, code, assertion).
• Conduct synthesis, place-and-route, timing analysis, and debugging using tools like Libero SoC, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Implement radiation-tolerant and fault-tolerant designs for space-grade applications.
• Develop automated test benches and CI pipelines for verification, including hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Contribute to system architecture, security, and real-time processing requirements.
• Participate in code reviews, documentation, and stay updated on FPGA technologies and open-source contributions.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in embedded firmware development, with 3+ years in FPGA design and verification.
• Proficiency in VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog for RTL design and FPGA development.
• Hands-on experience with RTL verification, testbenches, and UVM methodologies.
• Familiarity with FPGA design flows, including simulation (e.g., ModelSim), synthesis, and Libero SoC tools.
• Knowledge of digital design principles (e.g., clock domains, pipelining, AXI/Avalon protocols) and verification concepts like constrained-random testing.
• Experience with real-time systems and FPGA integration with Linux/RTOS.

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status