Mid/Senior FPGA Engineer

Job Title

Mid/Senior FPGA Engineer

Role Summary

Design, implement, integrate, and verify FPGA-based solutions for software-defined radios and digital communications systems as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team in Carlsbad, CA. Work spans architecture, implementation, lab bring-up, and system-level verification for programs that progress from prototype to production.

Experience Level

Mid-level to Senior. Mid-level: 4+ years of relevant FPGA design experience. Senior-level: 8+ years of relevant FPGA design experience.

Responsibilities

Deliver FPGA designs and support system integration and verification across hardware, RF, DSP, and embedded software domains.

• Design, implement, simulate, and verify FPGA/programmable-logic solutions for software-defined radios and digital communications systems.
• Develop FPGA architectures for DSP, data movement, control logic, and high-speed interfaces.
• Integrate FPGA designs with RF, analog, digital, and embedded software subsystems; support board bring-up and waveform integration.
• Perform lab debugging, timing closure, hardware debugging, and performance optimization.
• Produce and maintain design documentation, interface definitions, test plans, and verification artifacts.
• Participate in engineering reviews, trade studies, and technical decision-making for new and existing programs.
• Support troubleshooting and qualification-style testing in prototype and production environments.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, authorization, and workplace abilities.

• 4+ years (mid) or 8+ years (senior) of FPGA design experience implementing real systems.
• Experience with AMD/Xilinx toolchains, including Vivado and Vitis, and working with Zynq and RFSoC architectures.
• Proficiency in FPGA hardware description languages (VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog) and simulation workflows.
• Experience with timing closure, clock-domain crossing, reset strategy, pipelining, and high-speed interfaces.
• Hands-on hardware debugging skills and experience with lab equipment (oscilloscope, logic analyzer, protocol analyzer).
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary product development teams and produce clear technical documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• U.S. citizenship required (ITAR/compliance for space technology programs); ability to obtain or hold clearance if required.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field is specified. (The posting specifies Bachelor’s degree; equivalent practical experience is not explicitly stated.)

About the Company

Company: Vulcan Wireless

Headquarters: Carlsbad, CA, United States

Designs and manufactures software-defined radio systems, sensors, and digital communications solutions for space and terrestrial applications. Provides systems engineering, hardware development, embedded software, verification, and production support for government and commercial customers, focusing on high-reliability and high-assurance communications.