Principal Digital Hardware Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Principal Digital Hardware Engineer

At Hidden Level, we’re building the future of airspace awareness through cutting-edge RF sensing technology. Our mission is to make the world safer—whether it’s protecting troops, securing infrastructure, or enabling smarter cities. We design, manufacture, and deploy advanced sensor systems that deliver real-time insights for defense and commercial applications.

Position Overview:

As we expand, we're looking for a Principal Digital Hardware Engineer who will apply their expertise to shape digital hardware strategy, lead development of next-generation sensing platforms, and support customer integration and adoption activities. This role will influence hardware architecture across multiple products and programs while providing technical leadership throughout the product lifecycle from concept development through deployment and sustainment.

Location:

This position is located in the Syracuse, NY office with the potential for hybrid arrangements.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of digital hardware architectures for next-generation sensing, communication, and signal processing systems

• Define technical direction and architecture standards for FPGA, SoC, and digital hardware development across products and programs

• Collaborate with company leadership, program leadership, and engineering teams to advance overall product capabilities and technical roadmaps

• Architect complex FPGA and digital processing solutions utilizing modern Xilinx platforms including Ultrascale+ and RFSoC devices

• Serve as a technical point of contact and subject matter expert for digital hardware technologies across internal and external stakeholders

• Lead technical reviews and provide guidance on hardware architectures, FPGA implementations, verification strategies, and design trade studies

• Evaluate and drive adoption of emerging technologies to increase engineering design efficiency and improve system capability, performance, manufacturability, and scalability

• Provide professional mentorship and technical leadership to engineering teams

• Support customer engagements, technical proposals, business development activities, and technology demonstrations

• Guide integration, verification, and validation activities at subsystem and system levels

What We’re Looking For:

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical efforts spanning multiple products, programs, and engineering disciplines

• Strong technical judgment with the ability to balance near-term execution against long-term technology objectives

• Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive architectural decisions

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to engage engineers, customers, and leadership

• Passion for mentoring engineers and advancing technical excellence across the organization

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical efforts spanning multiple products, programs, and engineering disciplines

• Strong technical judgment with the ability to balance near-term execution against long-term technology objectives

• Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive architectural decisions

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to engage engineers, customers, and leadership

• Passion for mentoring engineers and advancing technical excellence across the organization

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field

• 15+ years of professional experience

• Expert knowledge of digital hardware architectures, FPGA-based systems, and high-performance embedded processing platforms

• Extensive experience designing digital and mixed-signal hardware including FPGAs, SoCs, high-speed converters, memory systems, and communication interfaces

• Experience with VHDL and/or Verilog and modern FPGA development environments including Vivado

• Deep understanding of high-speed digital design, signal integrity considerations, and hardware verification methodologies

• Experience developing systems supporting digital signal processing, software-defined radios, communication systems, radar systems, or advanced sensing platforms

• Demonstrated success leading architecture development and technical decision-making for complex hardware systems

• Ability to travel 10%

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Altium Designer

• Experience with Communication and Sensor Systems, Digital Signal Processing, Software Defined Radios, and RF System Design

• Experience with MATLAB, Python, Bash, and Linux

• Experience supporting product transition to manufacturing

• Experience contributing to technology roadmaps and product strategy

Compensation and Benefits: Hidden Level offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, paid parental leave, flexible time off, 401(k) with employer contributions, life insurance, disability insurance, and potential stock options.

Salary Range: The salary range for this position is estimated at $162,000 to $210,000 annually. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Hidden Level considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Hidden Level is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Security Note: Due to the nature of Hidden Level’s technology, only U.S. citizens can be considered for this position. Hidden Level Employees must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance, if required for the position. Please click here to review the National Security Clearance Adjudicative Guidelines.