Electronics FPGA Design Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Electronics FPGA Design Engineer

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

A client is seeking a team of Electrical Design Engineers to support a large research and development project within the space and defense industry. This role will work as a part of the Electronic Sensors department which is responsible for the design, building, and testing, of any electronic widget that will be launched into space. We are looking to add a dynamic, creative, and skilled Electrical Engineer to work alongside rocket scientist, aerospace engineers, robotic professionals, and electrical technicians to complete the entire product lifecycle of flight hardware from concept to production. This hardware will perform under stringent aero and space environmental conditions. This work involves analyzing, designing, simulating, fabricating, testing, and conducting performance validation and verification of electronic instrumentation systems and circuit boards. These instruments will be put on a piece of hardware, launched into space, and used to capture any type of data for a multitude of space missions. Project include Satellite communication instruments to discover environment destruction, Autonomous Robotic Arms that repair the International Space Station, Interplanetary discovery vehicles to further human exploration, MARS rovers, OZONE atmospheric measurement instruments, RF communication devices for astronauts’ communication, etc.. Candidates must have the ability to develop high reliability digital circuitry for space flight applications, create schematics and PCB layouts using commercial software (Altium), ability to create SPICE circuit simulations, ability to program FPGA and microprocessors, and have a history of designing printed circuit boards in a professional environment.

 

 

 

Major Responsibilities

• Design, simulate, and test VHDL modules and FPGA designs for advanced sensors and spaceflight systems.
• Create Design documentation and deliverables for FPGA designs.
• Support FPGA code reviews to ensure designs meet NASA standards. Work closely with software and electrical team members to integrate and test FPGA designs into the system(s).
• Research and maintain knowledge of current state-of-the-art devices for space missions, to enable effective system design.
• Conduct functional testing, troubleshooting, and assembly of electronic systems.
• Integrate cameras, GPS modules, and data-saving systems into designs.
• Communicate effectively with scientists, project managers, and engineers across avionics, software, thermal/structural, and mechanical design teams.
• Occasionally support overtime efforts to meet delivery deadlines for flight missions.
• Collaborate with a team of engineers from the Electronics Design branch, including avionics leads, FPGA designers, and electronic designers.
• Work alongside technicians and interact with software, thermal/structural, mechanical design teams, and project personnel.
• Engage with scientists, project managers, and chief engineers to ensure mission success.
• Occasional overtime may be required to meet delivery deadlines.

 

 

 

 

Pay for this role is between $35-70/hr

 

 

 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering
• Experience designing printed circuit boards (PCBs) in a professional setting
• Proficiency with Altium Designer (schematic capture & layout)
• Experience with SPICE-based circuit simulation tools
• Strong background in digital circuit design for high-reliability systems
• Familiarity with hardware validation, testing, and debugging VHDL/FPGA

 

 

 

NICE TO HAVE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Strong integration skills, particularly with cameras, GPS, and data-saving systems.
• Experience with advanced sensors and spaceflight systems.
• Ability to troubleshoot and test electronic systems.
• Prior experience with spaceflight hardware is a plus but not required.

 

Company Description

Notes/work environment:
-\tFlexible scheduling (generally ~7:00 AM – 3:30 PM, but adaptable)
-\tExpect long hours and high workload, especially as production ramps
-\tWeekend work may be required as operations scale
-\tFast-paced environment with evolving priorities

Team Culture:
This team is very intentional about hiring people who fit the culture and thrive in a startup environment:
-\tOwnership mentality – you take responsibility and drive your work forward
-\tSelf-sufficient – minimal hand-holding, strong initiative
-\tFlexible & adaptable – comfortable with changing priorities and ambiguity
-\tProcess-driven – able to follow and improve processes while documenting work
-\tPassionate & motivated – genuinely excited about the mission and technology
-\tTeam-oriented – wants to build something long-term, not just “another job”