Principal FPGA Engineer

Position Title: Principal FPGA Engineer
Requisition ID: 1857
Position Location: Fairfax, VA
Position Reports To: Senior Manager, FPGA Engineering
Supervises Others: No

At Trident Systems Space Electronic Systems (SES) division, we believe in the power of using strong engineering principles to drive innovation and solve complex problems. We foster a culture of rigorous engineering and continuous improvement, leveraging the full knowledge of our organization through collaborative product development processes that include design and peer reviews. We combine our expertise in space electronics with right-sized development processes to create innovative, high-performance space-based electronic systems that meet our customers' evolving needs.

We are a mission partner supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil space customers. We develop complex, radiation effects mitigated, designs that balance competing requirements in modern space programs, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to achieve more in space.

Position Summary

The Principal FPGA Engineer will play a critical role in the design and development of advanced FPGA solutions supporting cutting-edge space-based electronic systems. This position is responsible for architecting, implementing, and verifying complex high-speed programmable logic designs for advanced multi-function RF, processing, networking, and/or data storage solutions using the latest AMD (Xilinx) technologies. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in RTL design, timing closure, simulation, and system integration, and thrives in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment delivering mission-critical solutions to DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil space customers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Work within a multi-discipline team of engineers designing advanced multi-function RF, processing, networking, and/or data storage solutions for space applications utilizing the latest Xilinx (AMD) technologies (e.g., Zynq Ultrascale+ MPSoC, Zynq Ultrascale+ RFSoC, and Versal ACAP)
• Create and maintain complete FPGA designs using a combination of VHDL and Vivado IP Integrator with a strong emphasis on efficient data path architecture, reliable timing closures, and high-performance implementations
• Code, simulate and verify a wide range of RTL modules for FPGAs including modules for digital signal processing (DSP), control algorithms, interfaces to external peripherals, etc.
• Design and implement solutions that use embedded ARM processors, DDR4 memory, high-speed serial interfaces such as Aurora, JESD204B/C, PCIe, 1G/10G/100G Ethernet, etc.
• Create and maintain comprehensive simulation test bench modules to ensure a high degree of code coverage and verify functionality of firmware modules
• Create and maintain Timing Constraints to ensure design is fully constrained and consistent Timing Results are achieved post-implementation
• Create and maintain IP core level and Top-Level design documents
• Participate in code reviews, design reviews, and contribute towards FPGA Design methodologies and best practices
• Work in close collaboration with hardware and software engineers throughout the integration process to ensure that FPGA designs are correctly implemented
• Mentor junior engineers: provide training, guidance, and support as needed
• Ability to support travel or off-site work, as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related technical degree
• 9+ years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree OR a 7+ years of experience with a master’s degree
• Experience with firmware design, simulation and verification
• Thorough understanding of FPGA design methodology including physical synthesis, static timing analysis, place/route, verification, power analysis, and timing closure techniques
• Experience designing with Xilinx SoC/FPGA devices using the Vivado Design Suite
• Experience using Vivado IP Integrator
• Experience with RTL logic design and coding using VHDL
• Experience writing simulation testbenches to identify bugs and verify designs using SystemVerilog
• Experience with board bring-up/verification in an electronic lab environment and use of FPGA ILA-based debugging tools such as Vivado HW Debugger, Chipscope, SmartDebug

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience programming and implementing designs using the Versal AI Engines
• Experience designing with Microsemi (Microchip) FPGAs using Libero
• Experience using revision control systems, such as Git
• Experience using Modelsim/Questasim and/or Aldec simulation tools
• Experience using simulation verification libraries such as UVVM, UVM, OVM, etc.
• Familiarity with lab test equipment such as logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrum analyzers, etc.
• Highly productive, self-motivated person able to contribute as an individual and work within a distributed team
• Experience with data networking protocols, routers, switches, etc.
• Experience with compression algorithms
• Digital Signal Processing (DSP) 
• MATLAB and Simulink
• Linux
• C/C++

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $116,000–$216,000

Please note: Actual compensation offered will be determined based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, internal equity, business considerations, and geographic location where applicable.

Benefits 

Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits including but not limited to:

• Health benefits
• Medical 
• Dental 
• Vision
• Basic life with AD&D
• Short term disability
• Long term disability
• Ancillary (Voluntary life with AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital, and pet)
• Spending accounts (HSA, FSA, and DCFSA)
• Paid time off
• Holidays
• 401(k) (including company match)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Leaves (Parental, maternity, and military)
• Annual discretionary bonus (for eligible roles)

Trident Systems reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position. 

Trident Systems is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [email protected].

Pay Transparency: The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)