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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for FPGA Engineer

💰 $110,000 - $185,000

EngineeringHardwareFPGAElectronicsSemiconductorDigital Design

🎯 Role Definition

We are actively seeking a motivated and highly skilled FPGA Engineer to join our dynamic hardware engineering team. In this pivotal role, you will be at the forefront of designing, developing, and deploying cutting-edge digital solutions for our next-generation products. You will own the entire FPGA development lifecycle, from translating system-level requirements into robust architectural designs, through RTL coding and verification, to final hardware integration and validation. The ideal candidate is a passionate problem-solver with a deep understanding of digital logic design, who thrives in a collaborative environment and is eager to tackle complex challenges in high-performance computing, communications, or embedded systems.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Digital Design Engineer
  • Electronics Engineer with a focus on digital logic
  • Verification Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Senior or Principal FPGA Engineer
  • Hardware Architect
  • Engineering Manager / Technical Lead

Lateral Moves:

  • ASIC Design Engineer
  • Systems Engineer
  • Embedded Software Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Architect, design, and implement complex digital logic designs for FPGAs and SoCs using hardware description languages (VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog).
  • Take full ownership of the end-to-end FPGA design flow, including requirements capture, detailed design specification, RTL coding, and functional simulation.
  • Develop and execute comprehensive verification and validation plans, creating testbenches and leveraging simulation tools to ensure design correctness and robustness.
  • Perform synthesis, place-and-route (P&R), and static timing analysis (STA) to meet critical performance, area, and power targets using tools like Xilinx Vivado or Intel Quartus.
  • Spearhead the integration and bring-up of FPGA designs on custom hardware platforms, working hands-on in the lab with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
  • Debug complex hardware, software, and system-level issues that arise during integration, testing, and deployment phases.
  • Implement and optimize high-speed communication interfaces such as 10/40/100G Ethernet, PCIe Gen3/4/5, JESD204B/C, and CPRI.
  • Design and integrate high-performance memory interfaces and controllers, including DDR3, DDR4, LPDDR, and HBM.
  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including hardware, software, RF, and systems engineers, to define interfaces and ensure seamless system integration.
  • Develop and implement complex Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms and data paths on FPGAs for applications like signal filtering, modulation, and data conversion.
  • Create, maintain, and version control comprehensive design and verification documentation, including architecture documents, block diagrams, and test reports.
  • Optimize FPGA designs for resource utilization, power consumption, and thermal performance, employing advanced design techniques and tool features.
  • Evaluate and select appropriate FPGA/SoC devices, IP cores, and development tools based on project requirements and technology roadmaps.
  • Develop and maintain build scripts and automation flows using Tcl, Python, or shell scripting to streamline the development and continuous integration process.
  • Support system-level integration efforts, providing FPGA expertise to diagnose and resolve issues in the overall product.
  • Drive timing closure on high-speed, complex designs by analyzing timing reports, constraining the design properly, and iterating on the implementation strategy.
  • Participate in formal design and code reviews to ensure quality, consistency, and adherence to established coding standards across the team.
  • Stay current with the latest FPGA technologies, industry trends, and design methodologies to continuously improve our development processes.
  • Interface with external IP vendors to evaluate, integrate, and support third-party intellectual property within the FPGA design.
  • Characterize system performance and conduct validation testing across different operating conditions to ensure product reliability and specification compliance.

Secondary Functions

  • Support board-level schematic reviews to ensure proper connectivity and signal integrity for FPGA-related interfaces.
  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of internal design standards and best practices for FPGA development.
  • Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers on the team.
  • Assist in the preparation of technical proposals and project-level effort estimations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • HDL Proficiency: Expert-level knowledge of VHDL, Verilog, and/or SystemVerilog for complex RTL design.
  • FPGA Toolchains: Extensive hands-on experience with Xilinx Vivado and/or Intel (Altera) Quartus Prime design suites.
  • Simulation & Verification: Proficiency with simulation tools like Siemens/Mentor ModelSim/Questa or Synopsys VCS, and familiarity with verification methodologies (e.g., UVM, OVM).
  • High-Speed Interfaces: Proven experience implementing and debugging high-speed serial protocols such as PCIe, Ethernet (10G+), and JESD204.
  • Scripting & Automation: Strong scripting skills in Python, Tcl, or Perl for automating design, build, and test flows.
  • Timing Closure: Deep understanding of static timing analysis (STA), timing constraints (SDC), and techniques for closing timing on high-frequency designs.
  • Lab & Debug Skills: Hands-on experience with lab equipment, including high-speed oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and spectrum analyzers for hardware bring-up and debug.
  • Digital Design Principles: Solid foundation in synchronous and asynchronous digital design techniques, clock domain crossing (CDC), and computer architecture.
  • Memory Interfaces: Experience designing with high-speed memory controllers and physical interfaces like DDR3/DDR4.
  • DSP on FPGA: Familiarity with implementing Digital Signal Processing algorithms (FIR filters, FFTs, etc.) in an FPGA fabric.
  • Version Control: Experience using version control systems such as Git or SVN for managing design files and documentation.

Soft Skills

  • Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and systematic problem-solving skills to debug complex, multi-disciplinary issues.
  • Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for documenting designs and collaborating with team members.
  • Teamwork & Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous and detail-oriented approach to design, verification, and documentation.
  • Self-Motivation: A proactive and self-starting individual who can manage tasks and projects with minimal supervision.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in a relevant technical field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master of Science (M.S.) or Ph.D. in a relevant technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science (with a hardware focus)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-10 years of professional experience in FPGA design and development.

Preferred:

  • A proven track record of taking multiple complex FPGA designs from concept through to production.
  • Experience in industries such as telecommunications, defense/aerospace, high-performance computing, or medical devices.
  • Experience with SoC platforms that combine programmable logic with embedded processors (e.g., Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ or Intel Agilex).
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