Firmware Engineer

We are looking for an experienced Firmware Engineer to contribute to the development of products on our client’s Research and Development Division in Herndon VA. As part of our R&D division, the Firmware Engineer would join our firmware team to develop, integrate, and test our firmware products in our client’s spaced-based, electro-optical systems.  This position can be onsite, hybrid or remote.  

Experience and Expertise Required:

• 5+ years relevant experience
  


• BS/MS in EE, CE, or CS
  


• Expertise with firmware, VHDL (RTL), System Verilog (Testing)
  


• Experienced with Xilinx and Microchip FPGAs; and their associated development tools
  


• Experience developing test benches and running simulations to exercise the design and to verify compliance
  


• Experience interfacing and working with hardware designers during development, integration, and test phases
  


• Experience using schematics and block diagrams as inputs for firmware development
  


• Experience in high-speed serial links: GTY/GTM, JESD204B/C, Ethernet, SpaceWire
  


• Experience in standard peripheral interfaces: SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet MAC, LVDS
  


• Experience in memory interfaces: DDR3/4, QDR, FRAM, etc.
  


• Strong Python skills for build/test automation and data analysis
  


• GitHub fluency, CI/CD for FPGA flows (GitHub Actions or equivalent): automated linting, synthesis, simulation regression, timing closure, bitstream generation, release tagging
  


• Proficient with VS Code
  

Bonus Areas:

• Proficient with Linux, Docker containers, and automation
  


• Developing Hi-Rel/Space programs and TMR coding
  


• Digital Signal Processing, precision timing, optical comms (modems)
  


• Developing code (C, C++) for microcontrollers and embedded FPGA processors
  


• Designing GUI-based (Python) test software to exercise firmware
  


• Using lab instruments (oscilloscope, logic analyzer, etc.)
  

Our client is a leading developer of laser and electro-optic systems for the aerospace community, with key contributions to lasers for atmospheric sensing, laser communications, and lidar sensors for NASA, DoD, and commercial customers.