Senior FPGA Engineer II

Job Title

Senior FPGA Engineer II

Role Summary

Join Rocket Lab's Space Systems FPGA team in Long Beach, CA to design, verify, and support FPGA firmware for satellite and spacecraft programs. The team develops firmware for flight and ground systems used in civil, commercial, and defense missions.

This role focuses on FPGA architecture, firmware implementation and verification, hardware integration, and test campaigns across module and system levels.

Experience Level

Senior - 8+ years of FPGA firmware development experience (the posting lists 8 years).

Responsibilities

Primary duties include delivering FPGA firmware and supporting verification, integration, and testing.

• Design and verify FPGA firmware for Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs and SoCs.
• Collaborate with hardware, software, and systems engineering teams to define firmware architecture and interface requirements.
• Develop documentation for FPGA operation and interfaces with other software and FPGA systems.
• Participate in module- and system-level test campaigns, including automated unit and system testing.
• Support lab bring-up, debugging, and hardware integration activities.
• Work within continuous integration and version control workflows to deliver tested firmware.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, program eligibility, and experience for the role.

• Must-have: 8+ years FPGA firmware development experience.
• Must-have: Proficiency in VHDL and strong FPGA design fundamentals.
• Must-have: Experience with Xilinx and Microchip devices and toolchains.
• Must-have: Experience with verification frameworks such as UVM and VUnit.
• Must-have: Experience with embedded software, lab tools, reading PCB schematics, and using GIT and JIRA.
• Must-have: Experience with common interfaces (SPI, UART, I2C, CAN) and high-speed protocols (GigE, PCIe).
• Must-have: Experience with signal integrity, digital timing analysis and DWCCA.
• Must-have: Demonstrated ability to work in a dynamic environment and manage competing priorities.
• Program eligibility: U.S. citizenship required due to program requirements.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with software defined radios, DSP algorithms, feedback control systems, and radiation/radiation-mitigation considerations for spacecraft avionics (SEU/SEL).
• Nice-to-have: Experience working in a continuous integration development environment.

Education Requirements

Posting references a Bachelor's degree in electrical, computer, or software engineering (or other engineering degree). A Master’s or PhD in electrical, computer, or software engineering is also mentioned. (The posting lists postgraduate education but emphasizes experience.)

About the Company

Company: Rocket Lab

Headquarters: Long Beach, California, United States

Rocket Lab is a global leader in launch and space systems, known for its Electron rocket which has been providing reliable access to orbit since 2018. The company supports various space missions such as scientific exploration and Earth observation, and is developing the Neutron rocket for future payloads. With a focus on innovation, Rocket Lab has been instrumental in over 1,700 missions including high-profile projects like the James Webb Space Telescope and NASA's Psyche Mission.