Senior FPGA Engineer

Abaco Systems is a global leader in modular, high performance, open architecture, standards-based rugged embedded computing for the most demanding applications in defense and industry. Our products and solutions are found in high-profile military/aerospace sea, land and air programs, plus commercial and industrial organizations in which rugged reliability is mission critical.

As a Senior FPGA Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, developing, testing, and supervising the implementation of FPGA IP and components, including Single Board Computers (SBCs), FPGA/DSP carrier boards, sensor processing modules, and I/O products. You will operate with a high degree of independence and technical authority, leading one or more technology areas while contributing across multiple disciplines. You will be serving as a technical leader on complex programs, translating customer requirements into robust engineering solutions and driving innovation in product architecture, development processes, and emerging technologies. You will play a crucial role in troubleshooting and optimizing existing electrical systems, ensuring their efficiency, safety, and reliability through collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

- Design and develop FPGA projects for Single Board Computer (SBCs), FPGA/DSP Carrier boards, and I/O products following established development processes.

- Work cross-functionally with Product Management and Engineering to create derived requirements for circuit board designs.

- Responsible for FPGA design using a variety of vendor components including AMD, Microship, Lattice, and Altera.

- Support the digital circuit design of state-of-the-art Intel and ARM processors, DDR memory, FPGAs, MPSoC's, and RFSoC's.

- Responsible for implementing high-speed digital interfaces such as DDR4/5, PCIe, multi-Gigabit Ethernet, JESD204B/C.

- Perform simulation of FPGA design components to ensure functionality before hardware deployment.

- Select components to meet electrical, functional, ruggedization, and reliability requirements.

- Pivot quickly with new approaches, when necessary, in response to customer feedback and test results.

- Perform initial board bring up and testing.

- Perform verification and validation testing including regression testing during the lifecycle of the product.

- Support existing products with technical and life-cycle changes and updates. Troubleshoot/debug issues that come up during validation testing and after product release to drive quick resolutions.

- Prepare source, binary, and documentation files for use in a manufacturing environment.

- Design power systems to meet noise, performance, and size goals.

- Release final product into production, and support project manager with closing out internal process deliverables.

- Adopt and drive compliance with Abaco Engineering processes and standards, generate and drive support of best-practices, and drive efficiency through improved processes.

- Identify technical and program risks and drive mitigation strategies.

Education and Experience:

- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.

- Minimum 7+ years of relevant experience in FPGA design.

- Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering efforts or technical domains.

- Ability to work independently with minimal guidance and take full ownership of deliverables.

Qualifications:

- Proficiency with VHDL and (System) Verilog.

- Experience with AMD, Altera, Lattice, and Microchip FPGAs, SoC, and RFSoCs.

- Experience in hardware bring-up, validation, and debug using standard lab debug tools (oscilloscope, signal generator, spectrum analyzer, multi-meter, etc.).

- Experience using Embedded Linux a plus.

- Experience with scripting languages (TCL, Python).

- Experience with Schematic and PCB layout tools is a plus.

- Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity, decision-making, work quality, and to reduce costs. The successful candidate must be able to identify appropriate AI use cases and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs

- Experience with low-level software development (C/C++) a plus

Abaco is a Department of Defense (DoD) supplier and as such employees may work with or be exposed to export controlled information and/or information that has been designated as classified information. This information may only be seen or handled by US citizens or qualified permanent residents or those with proper clearances.