FPGA Engineer

Job Title

FPGA Engineer

Role Summary

Design, implement, and test FPGA-based RF and software-defined radio (SDR) capabilities for government research and development programs. Work hands-on across the FPGA lifecycle, integrate with RF hardware, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary engineering team to deliver operational solutions.

Experience Level

Senior — requires 7+ years of professional experience in FPGA and SDR development.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

• Perform end-to-end FPGA design, implementation, simulation, verification, and testing.
• Write and maintain RTL code (VHDL or Verilog).
• Run simulations and verification (e.g., ModelSim, Questa) and perform system-level debugging and integration.
• Integrate FPGAs with RF hardware and develop/implement SDR systems.
• Support embedded systems and real-time signal processing tasks.
• Collaborate with engineers across hardware, software, and systems teams to deliver fieldable solutions.

Requirements

Must-have:

• 7+ years professional experience developing FPGA and SDR solutions.
• Proficiency in VHDL or Verilog and experience with FPGA toolchains (Xilinx Vivado or Intel/Altera).
• Experience with C and C++ and MATLAB for algorithm development and verification.
• Experience with Git and Linux distributions (e.g., RedHat, Rocky Linux).
• Hands-on experience with embedded hardware systems and RF signal processing.
• Capable of acquiring and maintaining a DOD Top Secret SCI clearance.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with DSP algorithms and digital RF sampling, modulation, error correction, or compression.
• Experience using Xilinx SoC or RFSoC devices and integrating embedded processors with FPGA fabric.
• Background in C5ISR, EW, SIGINT, or communications systems.

Education Requirements

Posting states a Bachelor's degree is required; a high school diploma or GED is listed as the minimum educational credential in one section. Preferred fields include Engineering or Computer Science.

About the Company

Company: Apex Systems

Headquarters: Glen Allen, Virginia, United States

Apex Systems is a global IT staffing and workforce solutions firm that provides consulting, contract, and permanent placement services, along with training, benefits, and career development resources for technology and business professionals.