SAIC is seeking an FPGA Firmware Engineer – RF Systems Development to design and implement cutting-edge firmware for advanced receiver (Rx) and transmitter (Tx) systems operating in the microwave frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum. This role supports the development of sea-based and aerospace platforms, leveraging field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to enable high-performance signal processing, system interfaces, and hardware integration.
The selected individual will play an integral role in implementing Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms, designing high-speed system interfaces, and optimizing embedded architectures for RF systems. This position also involves lab-based hardware integration, testing, and debugging of FPGA-based systems, with a focus on ensuring compliance with stringent operational and environmental requirements, including MIL-STD standards.
This position supports onsite or collaborative work at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division and provides the opportunity to advance critical aerospace and sea-based RF systems at the forefront of defense technology.
FPGA-Based Design of Tx/Rx Systems:
- Develop and implement FPGA firmware to enable Rx/Tx system operations across the microwave spectrum (1 GHz to 100+ GHz).
- Utilize VHDL and/or Verilog for FPGA design, including coding, simulation, synthesis, and static timing analysis.
- Apply DSP algorithms for RF applications, including digital filtering, modulation/demodulation, FFTs, and error correction.
- Collaborate with RF engineers to ensure FPGA designs are optimized for signal fidelity, low latency, and efficient bandwidth utilization.
High-Speed Interfaces and System Integration:
- Design and implement high-speed interfaces for protocols such as PCIe, Ethernet, UART, I²C, SPI, and DDR memory.
- Integrate FPGA solutions with RF front-end systems, ensuring seamless interaction between digital and analog components.
- Enable real-time system monitoring and control via FPGA-based architectures, ensuring high reliability in mission-critical scenarios.
Hardware Bring-Up and Debugging:
- Perform lab-based system integration of FPGA firmware, employing hardware bring-up methods to validate Tx/Rx functionality.
- Use equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers to debug firmware-hardware interactions.
- Troubleshoot and resolve performance issues linked to hardware-software integration and high-speed data flows.
Testing, Validation, and Compliance:
- Support system testing and characterization under sea-based and aerospace operating conditions, emphasizing MIL-STD compliance.
- Develop automated test harnesses using scripting tools (e.g., TCL, Python, Bash) to validate FPGA performance and system interfaces.
- Assist in ensuring firmware designs meet environmental and operational specifications, including performance during atmospheric reentry.
Collaboration and Technical Leadership:
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including RF engineers, hardware engineers, and system architects, to deliver integrated solutions.
- Lead trade studies evaluating design alternatives, balancing performance against factors such as size, weight, power, and cost.
- Mentor junior engineers on FPGA development best practices, DSP implementation, and industry-standard design methodologies.
