Turion Space is building spacecraft for national security and in-space operations. From debris removal to space domain awareness to building a more secure space economy, we are a team focused on getting real hardware to orbit fast and scaling capability.
We are looking for an FPGA/Firmware Manager to lead our rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. In this role, you will manage a high performing team responsible for creating the architecture, end-to-end design and verification of projects FPGA/SOC systems. This role will guide team growth as well as establish robust documentation and procedures.
This is a full-time, exempt position based on-site at our Irvine, California headquarters.
Responsibilities
Manage and mentor a small team of direct reports
Own development of HDL and firmware on custom FPGA, FPGA SoC and low-level embedded systems
Provide early guidance and input on architecture decision for subsystem and vehicle-level architectures
Define requirements and processes to ensure traceability and progress tracking
Contribute to custom HDL modules for FPGA systems (focus on high speed data movement and handling)
Design firmware for soft cores (MicroBlaze, RISC-V, etc.) platforms to interface with FPGA fabric and peripherals
Write custom HDL to interface with SoC hard cores, drivers and corresponding custom firmware.
Work with electrical engineers and others to support the bring-up of custom hardware
Establish performance goals, conduct reviews, and foster a culture of innovation and accountability
Lead verification of HDL and firmware to ensure flight-readiness
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
8+ years of experience developing firmware, or, HDL for FPGAs in a professional environment
2+ years of experience managing an engineering team
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or related field
Demonstrated work in RTL design using VHDL, Verilog, and/or SystemVerilog
Proficiency with FPGA design tools (Xilinx Vivado, Microchip Libero, or similar)
Experience developing firmware in bare-metal or RTOS environments
Experience developing embedded systems using C/C++
Strong understanding of digital design and embedded systems principles
Ability to obtain a Secret and/or TS/SCI security clearance
Preferred Qualifications
Interest in mentoring and developing engineering talent
Experience with high-level synthesis (HLS) tools (e.g. Xilinx Vitis HLS, MATLAB FPGA generator)
Experience with FPGA verification techniques (formal verification, UVM, SystemVerilog assertions)
Familiarity with Xilinx Ultrascale, Zynq MPSoC, Versal, and/or Microchip PolarFire platforms
Proficiency working with firmware development tools such as JLink, Keil, IAR, or GCC
Experience with FreeRTOS and embedded Linux.
Strong understanding of FPGA timing, floor planning, and clock domain crossing best practices
Experience with AMBA bus architectures (AXI, AHB, APB) and custom AXI IP design
Experience with high-speed serial interfaces (GbE, PCIe, Aurora, LVDS) and low-speed interfaces (RS422, UART, I2C, SPI)
Familiarity with RAM architectures, efficient buffering techniques, and FLASH interfaces (ONFi)
Experience with image sensors and camera systems
FPGA Manager / Firmware Manager / Hardware Manager: $175,000 – $225,000 USD.
ITAR Requirements:
This position may include access to technology and/or software source code that is subject to U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Benefits:
We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of our employees. In addition to a competitive base salary and company stock, determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, and market demand, full-time employees are eligible for:
Equity: Receive equity in Turion Space, letting you benefit from the company's success
Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents.
Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan to help you plan for your future.
Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, sick days, and holidays to ensure you have time to recharge.
Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing training, workshops, and courses to advance your skills and career growth.
Team Building Activities: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities to foster a positive work environment.
We are dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching environment for our team members, recognizing that our collective success is built upon the well-being and satisfaction of each individual.
Turion Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Turion Space is governed on the basis of 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.
Top Skills
What We Do
Turion Space is building the infrastructure to secure and sustain the future of space. Founded to address the growing need for space domain awareness, in-space servicing, and debris mitigation, Turion designs, builds, and operates spacecraft with real-world operational capability. Our vehicles are built for national security and commercial missions that require speed, autonomy, and resilience. We believe the next chapter of space operations will be defined by who can act, not just observe. That’s why we’re focused on building platforms that move fast, adapt in orbit, and solve problems ranging from satellite servicing to tactical intelligence gathering. We successfully launched our DROID.001 satellite in June 2023 and DROID.002 in March 2025. DROID.003 is scheduled for launch in 2026.
Why Work With Us
Turion Space is where startup grit meets real space missions. We build and fly spacecraft for defense, servicing, and domain awareness. No red tape, no sidelines, just hands-on work that matters.
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