Senior FPGA Hardware Engineer – Electrical Engineering
📍 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
🏢 Work Arrangement: Onsite
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
🕒 Schedule: 4/10 – Four 10-Hour Days Per Week
🛡️ Security Clearance: Not Required
✈️ Travel: Occasional
🚚 Relocation Assistance: May Be Considered for an Exceptional Candidate
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
👥 People Management: Not Required
Develop the Next Generation of FPGA-Based Defense Electronics
A leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a talented Senior FPGA Hardware Engineer to support the architecture, design, development and verification of next-generation Electronic Safe and Arm Devices for advanced defense systems.
This is a hands-on engineering position focused primarily on Verilog FPGA design, SystemVerilog verification and embedded microcontroller development. The successful candidate will develop highly reliable digital hardware and firmware used within safety-critical fuzing solutions.
FPGA and ASIC designs may include sensor interfaces, sequence-verification logic, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog interfaces, communication protocols, state machines, timer chains and other safety-critical functions.
This opportunity is ideally suited to an engineer who enjoys solving complex hardware and firmware problems, working with laboratory equipment and developing innovative solutions in a dynamic product-development environment.
Key Responsibilities
FPGA Architecture and Design
Analyse system and product requirements and translate them into FPGA and digital-hardware architectures.
Define FPGA functionality, interfaces, state machines and verification requirements.
Develop synthesizable Verilog HDL for antifuse and enhanced-flash FPGA technologies.
Design FPGA logic supporting:
Sensor interfaces
Sequence verification
Analog-to-digital interfaces
Digital-to-analog interfaces
Serial communication protocols
State machines
Timer chains
Safety-critical control functions
Support architecture trade studies and component-selection decisions.
Ensure FPGA designs meet functional, performance, reliability and safety requirements.
Contribute throughout the complete design lifecycle, from early concept through product testing.
FPGA Verification
Develop and execute verification strategies for complex FPGA designs.
Create simulation environments, testbenches and verification plans.
Perform functional simulation and timing-related analysis.
Support SystemVerilog-based verification using methodologies such as:
Universal Verification Methodology
Open Verification Methodology
Verification Methodology Manual
Advanced Verification Methodology
Use simulation tools to identify functional defects before hardware integration.
Document test results, coverage, anomalies and corrective actions.
Participate in design and code reviews to strengthen FPGA quality.
Embedded Firmware Development
Develop embedded C software for microcontroller-based systems.
Implement algorithms, manipulate data structures and produce highly optimized code.
Develop firmware supporting communication, sequencing, monitoring and hardware-control functions.
Support C# development targeting enhanced-flash microcontrollers when required.
Integrate FPGA logic, microcontrollers and associated hardware.
Diagnose hardware-firmware interaction issues in laboratory and target-system environments.
Support firmware reviews, unit testing and configuration control.
Hardware Development and Integration
Support the design and debugging of FPGA-associated electrical hardware.
Review digital schematics and assess device interfaces.
Participate in hardware bring-up and prototype evaluation.
Verify interfaces between FPGAs, microcontrollers, sensors, converters and other electronic components.
Support the integration of digital hardware and firmware into Electronic Safe and Arm Devices.
Evaluate system performance under representative operating conditions.
Work closely with electrical, systems, test, mechanical and software engineers.
Laboratory Testing and Troubleshooting
Perform hands-on debugging using standard laboratory equipment, including:
Logic analysers
Oscilloscopes
JTAG and in-circuit emulation debuggers
Protocol analysers
Digital multimeters
Development and evaluation boards
Analyse functional failures and performance issues in test environments and target systems.
Isolate defects across FPGA logic, firmware and electrical hardware.
Develop corrective actions and verify the effectiveness of design changes.
Document troubleshooting methods, findings and final resolutions.
Support prototype, design-verification and product-level testing.
Requirements and Technical Documentation
Analyse, clarify and refine hardware and firmware requirements.
Maintain traceability between requirements, design elements and verification evidence.
Produce design descriptions, verification documentation and technical reports.
Document FPGA architectures, interfaces, state-machine behaviour and firmware functionality.
Support internal and customer design reviews.
Ensure engineering records are complete, accurate and configuration controlled.
Quality and Process Improvement
Apply disciplined hardware, firmware and software-development methodologies.
Participate in design reviews, code reviews, unit testing, prototyping and product testing.
Identify opportunities to improve development efficiency, product quality and time to market.
Contribute to FPGA coding standards, reusable design practices and verification processes.
Support defect prevention and lessons-learned activities.
Maintain source code and design files within approved version-control systems.
Required Qualifications
Candidates must meet one of the following education and experience combinations:
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related technical discipline with at least six years of relevant experience.
Graduate degree in a related technical discipline with at least four years of relevant experience.
At least 10 years of directly relevant professional experience in place of a degree.
Additional required experience includes:
Practical knowledge of Verilog for FPGA or digital logic design.
Experience with digital-design practices, logic architecture and hardware-description languages such as Verilog or VHDL.
Embedded C programming experience, including:
Algorithm development
Data-structure manipulation
Hardware-control programming
Development of highly optimized code
Hands-on experience using laboratory equipment such as logic analysers, oscilloscopes, JTAG/ICE debuggers and protocol analysers.
Familiarity with hardware, software and firmware development methodologies.
Experience participating in design verification, code reviews, unit testing, prototyping or product testing.
Experience using source-code and configuration-management tools such as Git, Subversion or Team Foundation Server.
Strong problem-solving and debugging abilities.
Clear written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.
Ability to respond to changing technical priorities and short-notice requests.
Current authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.
Preferred Qualifications
FPGA development experience with Microchip/Microsemi or Actel devices.
Experience targeting antifuse or enhanced-flash FPGA technologies.
Experience using QuestaSim or comparable HDL simulation tools.
SystemVerilog verification experience.
Experience applying UVM, OVM, VMM or AVM verification methodologies.
Experience developing reusable verification components and testbenches.
C# development experience targeting enhanced-flash microcontrollers.
Experience developing FPGA interfaces for:
Sensors
ADCs and DACs
Serial communications
State machines
Timing and sequencing functions
Familiarity with ASIC development or verification.
Experience developing safety-critical or high-reliability electronics.
Previous experience with Electronic Safe and Arm Devices, fuzing systems or defense electronics.
Experience integrating FPGA logic with microcontrollers and embedded firmware.
Strong organizational skills and an action-oriented approach.
The Ideal Candidate
The strongest candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Ownership of FPGA designs from requirements through implementation and verification.
Strong Verilog and digital-logic design capabilities.
Hands-on embedded C development experience.
Practical SystemVerilog verification knowledge.
Experience debugging interactions between FPGA logic, firmware and electrical hardware.
Confidence using laboratory tools to isolate complex technical problems.
Familiarity with Microsemi/Actel FPGA technology and QuestaSim.
Experience developing reliable electronics for safety-critical applications.
An ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across engineering disciplines.
Strong documentation, organization and communication skills.
Work Environment and Benefits
The position operates within a highly dynamic aerospace and defense engineering environment where product quality, technical discipline and responsiveness are essential.
Employees work a 4/10 schedule, completing four 10-hour workdays each week. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:
Medical and disability insurance
Retirement plan with employer match
Flexible spending accounts
Employee assistance program
Education assistance
Parental leave
Paid time off
Company-paid holidays
Relocation assistance may be considered for an exceptional candidate.
Equal Opportunity
The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination based on any status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.