FPGA Design Engineer III

FPGA Design Engineer III

The FPGA Design Engineer III is responsible for the architecture, implementation, integration, and validation of advanced digital electronic systems centered around FPGA-based processing platforms. The role emphasizes FPGA design, high-speed digital interfaces, embedded processor integration, and hardware/software co-development while supporting complete electronic systems from concept through production.

The engineer will develop FPGA architectures, board-level hardware, embedded processor systems, and high-speed digital interfaces used in advanced microdisplay, imaging, sensing, and wearable embedded products. Responsibilities include FPGA implementation, PCB-level integration, system bring-up, embedded software interaction, and hardware/software debugging while collaborating closely with systems, optics, mechanical, software, and manufacturing teams.

Applications include AR/VR systems, HUDs/HMDs, imaging devices, sensor platforms, wearable electronics, and other embedded systems operating in SWaP-constrained environments.

Job Duties And Responsibilities:

• Architect, implement, and validate FPGA-based digital systems including high-speed data paths, display interfaces, sensor interfaces, embedded processors, memory subsystems, communication peripherals, and real-time control logic.
• Develop FPGA designs using Verilog and/or VHDL including RTL development, simulation, synthesis, timing closure, constraint development, verification, on-chip debugging, and hardware validation.
• Design FPGA architectures including clock distribution, reset strategies, I/O bank planning, pin assignments, I/O standards, timing constraints, resource utilization, and overall device implementation to maximize performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Integrate embedded processor systems within FPGA devices including soft-core and hard-core processors, memory controllers, PCIe, Ethernet MACs, DMA engines, and other hard IP while developing custom peripherals, bus interfaces, and complete processor subsystems.
• Develop board support packages, hardware abstraction layers, peripheral drivers, and low-level software required to initialize, validate, and support FPGA-based embedded platforms while enabling software engineering teams through well-defined hardware interfaces and driver libraries.
• Configure, integrate, and optimize high-speed serial interfaces including multi-gigabit Ser Des, LVDS, PCI Express, Ethernet, Display Port, HDMI, MIPI, memory interfaces, and other high-bandwidth communication channels.
• Integrate third-party IP cores and vendor reference designs into FPGA architectures while ensuring functional correctness, timing closure, and reliable system operation.
• Design and integrate custom PCB assemblies including schematic capture, component selection, power architecture, mixed-signal circuitry, memory interfaces, and high-speed digital electronics supporting FPGA-centric systems.
• Perform hardware/software co-debugging using simulation tools, embedded software debuggers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, JTAG tools, and on-chip FPGA debugging resources to isolate functional, timing, and system integration issues.
• Define and implement complete digital data pipelines spanning sensors, processors, memories, FPGA logic, display interfaces, communication links, and external devices while optimizing throughput, latency, power consumption, and resource utilization.
• Generate engineering documentation including design specifications, interface definitions, FPGA architecture documentation, schematics, test procedures, verification reports, and manufacturing support documentation.
• Participate in prototype builds, design reviews, system integration, environmental testing, manufacturing support, and transition-to-production activities.

Minimum

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• 5–8 years of experience developing FPGA-based digital systems and embedded electronic products.
• Strong proficiency with:
• Verilog and/or VHDL
• FPGA architecture and RTL development
• FPGA simulation and verification
• Timing analysis and timing closure
• Constraint development
• On-chip debugging techniques
• High-speed digital design
• Experience with:
• Intel, AMD/Xilinx, Microchip, and/or Lattice FPGA development environments
• FPGA processor systems (hard or soft processors)
• FPGA hardware/software co-design
• Integration of vendor and third-party IP
• Memory controllers, PCI Express, Ethernet MACs, DMA engines, and embedded peripherals
• Multi-gigabit Ser Des configuration and debugging
• PCB-level digital hardware development
• Schematic capture and board bring-up
• Hardware/software integration and debugging
• Working knowledge of:
• PCI Express
• Ethernet
• LVDS
• HDMI
• Display Port
• MIPI DSI/CSI
• SPI, I²C, UART, GPIO
• DDR memory interfaces
• Experience using laboratory equipment including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, JTAG debuggers, and FPGA on-chip debugging tools.
• Ability to…