Lead FPGA Engineer

The Opportunity:

The Lead FPGA Engineer will play a crucial role in the design, development, implementation, and optimization of FPGA architectures and digital design solutions. The engineer will create and integrate programmable logic architectures and components for digital signal processing, command and control, external hardware interfaces, high-speed communication protocols and more. This technical leader role is also responsible for working with other FPGA designers, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality products and innovate solutions.

Our Technology:

Safran Federal Systems provides Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (R-PNT) solutions and custom engineering services to U.S. Government agencies, defense organizations and their contractors. Safran Federal Systems is authorized to work on the full spectrum of U.S. Government classified and unclassified projects, in addition to supporting strategic partnerships for key defense PNT technologies.

How I will Contribute:

• Translate project and system requirements into well-defined hardware architectures working with cross-functional teams
• Architect VHDL based solutions against requirements and implement those solutions in various FPGA technologies or platforms.
• Develop architectural approaches to enable future adaption of FPGA-based signal processing and software defined radio solutions
• Conduct thorough functional and performance verification of FPGA designs through simulation and hardware testing, identifying and resolving any design issues or bottlenecks.
• Deep understanding of FPGA design flow including RTL design, verification, logic synthesis, prototyping, timing analysis, and lab debug.
• Use Python, TCL, and other scripting languages to automate continuous development and continuous integration.

• Developing and maintaining documentation and ICDs for in-house IP blocks and other related software.

• Act as technical lead through documentation of work and analysis in formal technical reports and presentations.
• Collaborate with software designers to ensure successful integration of FPGA designs alongside software development for various target platforms.
• Collaborate with hardware designers to ensure successful integration of FPGA designs onto PCBs and hardware platforms.
• Stay up to date with the latest advancements in FPGA, SoC, RFSoC and other embedded technologies, tools and methodologies.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers, fostering their growth and development in the FPGA design.

What You Bring to Safran Federal Systems:

• Experience in FPGA development
  • 6+ Years with B.S. degree in Engineering or related technical degree
  • 4+ Years with M.S. degree in Engineering or related technical degree
  • 2+ Years with Ph.D. degree in Engineering or related technical degree
• Proficiency in VHDL/Verilog and familiarity with FPGA toolchains and RTL simulation tools.
• Proficiency with using Vivado and/or Quartus; knowledge of recent Xilinx/Intel FPGA architectures including the RFSoC
• Experience with DSP fundamentals, digital communication systems, and FPGA implementation.
• Deep understanding of digital logic design, embedded systems, and FPGA architecture.
• Thorough understanding of the development of FPGA requirements and specifications.
• Experience with validating performance of software defined radios or transceiver development and interfacing.
• Experience with software defined radios (GNURadio, RFSoC, RFNoC), software APIs (UHD), and evaluating SDR platforms and specifications.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, with excellent communication skills.
• Ability to mentor and willingness to be mentored.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Some of “the Good Stuff”:

• Annual Bonus Opportunity
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account
• Paid Time Off
• 401k Retirement Program with Employer Match
• Gym Membership Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Career Development
• Flexible working arrangements
• Excellent culture

About Safran Federal Systems:

Safran Federal Systems has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by Rochester Top Workplaces, ranking #1 in the Small Business category in Rochester, NY.

In 2022, Safran acquired Orolia, now Safran Trusted 4D, the world leader in Resilient PNT. At the intersection of critical infrastructure and national defense, Safran Trusted 4D solutions govern and protect the integrity of systems that shape the world. In early 2019, Orolia Defense & Security spun off as a separate entity from its parent company Orolia, with the mission of providing resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions and custom engineering services to U.S. Government agencies, U.S. Defense organizations, and their contractors.

In August of 2019, Orolia Defense & Security acquired Talen-X, a U.S. company specializing in advanced GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Simulation solutions and Interference, Detection, and Mitigation (IDM) technologies. Talen-X's portfolio was an ideal fit and has helped to enhance Orolia's overall offerings. The acquisition enabled Talen-X's existing resources, operations and capabilities to be scaled and accelerated to better support the warfighter. Read the press release here.

Safran Federal Systems operates as a proxy-regulated company, Free of Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI). As such, Safran Federal Systems is approved to work on the full spectrum of U.S. Government classified and unclassified projects and is positioned to support strategic partnerships in the development of key PNT technologies for the defense market.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Please note this description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.