Sr. FPGA Engineer II
Rocket LabJob Title
Sr. FPGA Engineer II
Role Summary
Join the Space Systems FPGA team in Long Beach, CA to develop and verify FPGA firmware for spacecraft avionics. The role spans requirements, architecture, implementation, verification, documentation, and test campaigns including on-orbit operations.
Experience Level
Senior — typically requires 8+ years of FPGA firmware development experience.
Responsibilities
The role focuses on FPGA firmware design and verification for spacecraft avionics and cross-discipline integration.
- Collaborate with electrical, software, and systems engineers to define firmware architecture and requirements.
- Design and verify FPGA firmware for Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs and SoCs.
- Develop documentation for FPGA operation and interfaces with software and other hardware.
- Participate in test campaigns from module-level to automated unit and system testing.
- Support hardware bring-up, lab testing, and on-orbit operations when required.
Requirements
Core required skills and constraints for the role.
Must have:- 8+ years of FPGA firmware development experience.
- Proficiency in VHDL.
- Strong understanding of FPGA design fundamentals and best practices.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary engineering environment.
- U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency, or other authorization as required by export control/ITAR for work in U.S. offices.
- Experience with Xilinx and Microchip devices and toolflows.
- Experience with verification frameworks such as UVM or VUnit.
- Experience with SDR, DSP algorithms, feedback control systems, radiation effects mitigation for space, signal integrity and DWCCA.
- Experience with common interfaces (SPI, UART, I2C, CAN) and high-speed protocols (GigE, PCIe).
- Familiarity with embedded software, PCB schematics, lab equipment, GIT, JIRA, and CI-based development.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in electrical, computer, or software engineering or another engineering field is stated as required in the posting; Master's or PhD in related engineering fields are listed as preferred.
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.
