Senior/Principal R&D S&E, Embedded Firmware/FPGA Developer/Engineer, Onsite

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at:

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

We are seeking a R&D S&E, Electrical Engineer to join our dynamic team!


Are you ready to join a dynamic team that tackles significant challenges for our nation's security? If you are passionate about RF and Electronics systems that advance nuclear deterrence and warfighter dominance, we invite you to explore this opportunity to make a meaningful impact!


Radar ISR Analysis & Apps organization is seeking a motivated and energetic electrical engineer to join our Firmware team! The successful candidate will engage in complex multi-disciplinary designs that focus on command and control, communications, and data processing for scientific and national defense applications. This role is pivotal in contributing to the development of state-of-the-art embedded platforms.


Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with a team of engineers to design, develop, and implement FPGA and firmware solutions tailored for advanced applications in national defense.
• Engage in the design and development of embedded systems, ensuring they meet rigorous performance and timing standards.
• Conduct real-time data processing to support critical mission objectives, leveraging advanced algorithms and processing techniques.
• Participate in the architecture and development of large-scale systems, contributing to the overall design and integration of complex systems.
• Develop, implement, and validate algorithms that enhance system capabilities and performance.
• Apply verification and validation techniques to ensure the integrity and functionality of developed systems and components.
• Attend technical direction meetings to align project goals and strategies with team objectives.
• Develop code and test benches, ensuring thorough testing and simulation of firmware and software components.
• Support leads in various project tasks, contributing to the successful execution of team objectives.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative team environment, sharing knowledge and skills to enhance team performance and mission success.

Join us in this exciting opportunity to work alongside world-class authorities and emerging leaders, where your desire to learn and develop your skills will be crucial in accomplishing missions vital to our nation.


Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.


Salary Range

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE-Q level security clearance.

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D S&E, Electrical Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Ability to work independently and collaborate well in a multidisciplinary team of designers and test engineers.
• Outstanding verbal and written skills, including the ability to develop and present briefings that are clear and compelling.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Embedded software and/or firmware development skills; as well as, familiar with the 1 or more of the following development methodologies or tools:
• Experience in logic verification, preferably System Verilog/UVM
• Experience with FPGA design tools (Xilinx Vivado, SynplifyPro, etc.)
• Experience with firmware DSP implementation
• Experience in taking a FPGA design to hardware and/or ASIC and utilizing the full array of debug tools (embedded and bench logic analyzer, O-scope, etc.)
• Basic knowledge of RTL synthesis flow for ASIC design
• Experience in software DSP implementation
• Experience in low-level device driver development and interfacing with hardware
• Experience in software and firmware integration, including the ability to design, develop, and troubleshoot integrated systems, ensuring seamless communication/operation between firmware and software components within an FPGA.
• Experience with software quality tools and processes such as configuration management tools (GitLab), linters, code documentation tools, static analyzers, dynamic analyzers, continuous integration tools, unit testing, etc.
• Experience with HW/SW or system integration and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, with minimal supervision, as well as work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team environment, building consensus and resolving issues.
• Willingness to work in a team-based development effort including tight integration with a hardware team
• Good interpersonal and oral skills
• Active DOE Q-level clearance or equivalent.
• Active SCI level clearance.

About Our Team

Mission: We tackle the hardest RF and electronics problems through partnerships with government, industry and academia to advance nuclear deterrence and warfighter dominance.


Vision: Anticipate, Innovate, Dominate


We Value:

• People
• Delivering with excellence
• Innovation
• Ethical leadership at all levels
• Partnerships

Center 5300 provides key electronics systems deliverables to a wide variety of programs across Sandia (including nuclear weapons, space, intelligence and military systems) and also directly manages the Surveillance and Reconnaissance (S&R) Program.


Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.


If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.