FPGA​/Firmware Engineer

Science is a clinical stage, vertically integrated technology company focused on solving some of neuroscience’s hardest questions and most serious unmet medical needs. We work to restore quality of life to those with debilitating conditions for which there are no treatment options, creating devices aimed at restoring vision, cognition, and mobility to patients who have lost it. To support progress across our industry, we provide state-of-the-art components and vertically integrated infrastructure for others to build on via Science Foundry.

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated FPGA/Firmware Engineer to join our team and take ownership of architecting and building the gateware and firmware for our next-generation devices. This role is ideal for candidates passionate about end-to-end product development, from RTL design to embedded firmware and who thrive in high-ownership, cross-disciplinary environments. The position will involve working closely with hardware and systems engineers to implement high-performance, reliable designs for cutting-edge products.

Role responsibilities:

• Architect, design, and deliver FPGA‑based digital systems for next‑generation products, from concept to deployment
• Optimize RTL designs for logic resource utilization, power efficiency, and reliable timing closure
• Develop, debug, and maintain high‑quality System Verilog code for FPGA applications
• Design and maintain C/C++ firmware for bare‑metal and RTOS‑based FPGA SoCs and microcontrollers
• Build Python and/or Bash‑based utilities to streamline build automation, FPGA configuration, and test harness execution
• Implement and integrate digital protocols, including AXI/AXI‑Stream, AHB, SPI, I²C, UART, USB, PCIe, and DDR memory interfaces
• Collaborate closely with hardware engineers on schematics, component selection, and signal integrity considerations to ensure optimal integration
• Debug complex hardware/software interactions using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other lab instrumentation
• Create and maintain detailed FPGA and firmware architecture documentation, including block diagrams, interface definitions, and design specifications
• Develop and enhance FPGA verification workflows, utilizing simulation and formal verification frameworks (e.g., UVM, cocotb) to ensure thorough functional coverage and design reliability

Key qualifications:

• 2-4 years of experience in FPGA and firmware development
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• Strong grasp of digital design fundamentals, resource optimization, and static timing analysis (STA)
• Proven experience delivering at least 1–2 complete FPGA projects from concept to production
• Proficiency with System Verilog, Verilog, VHDL or Amaranth for RTL design
• Strong C/C++ programming skills for bare-metal and/or RTOS development
• Experience with Python and/or Bash scripting for build/test automation
• Familiarity with on-chip bus protocols such as AXI, AXI-Stream, or AHB
• Familiarity with standard and high-speed protocols such as USB, PCIe, and/or DDR
• Proficiency with version control systems (e.g., Git) for collaborative development, code review, and release management
• Strong hardware/software debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other lab tools
• Ability to read and understand circuit schematics and basic electronics design

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience in the medical device industry or other highly regulated environments
• Experience with RTL verification frameworks (e.g., UVM, cocotb)
• Exposure to high-speed interfaces such as USB 3.0 and MIPI
• Experience with FPGA vendor tool chains (e.g. Lattice Radiant, Xilinx Vivado, Altera Quartus)
• Working knowledge of ISO
  62304 standard

Science is required under California law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. We determine your level based on your interview performance and make an offer based on the indicated salary band. The base salary range for this full-time position is $150,000 - $200,000 annually + equity + benefits. Within the range, individual pay is determined by several factors, including job-related skills, experience,…