Firmware Engineer – Embedded Systems & FPGA Development

CFD Research Corporation•Dayton, OH

7d•Onsite

About The Position

CFD Research is seeking a Firmware Engineer to develop embedded firmware and FPGA logic for aerospace and military applications. The role partners closely with Embedded Hardware Design Engineers and multidisciplinary teams to create robust, reliable, and secure embedded systems in a fast-paced R&D environment. The position is 100% onsite and may be based in Dayton, Ohio (preferred), Huntsville, Alabama, or Hollywood, Alabama. The engineer designs, implements, and tests embedded firmware for microcontroller- and processor-based systems, develops FPGA logic, supports hardware/firmware integration, and contributes to system testing, qualification, and documentation. Work includes interfaces and protocols, board-level design collaboration, test automation, and compliance with quality and defense-related standards. CFD Research is an employee-owned company. The company describes its benefits as including retirement matching and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, insurance coverage, leave, disability and life insurance, and performance-related compensation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Firmware Engineering, or a related discipline.
Strong proficiency in embedded firmware development in C/C++ for microcontrollers and embedded processors.
Experience with RTOS-based development, bare-metal systems, interrupt handling, timing-critical code, and power-managed firmware.
Understanding of digital interfaces, communication protocols, and embedded system architectures.
Experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, multimeters, and power supplies.
Familiarity with software configuration management, Git, and structured engineering workflows.
Ability to read schematics and understand board-level hardware/software interactions.
Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Embedded Systems.
Experience developing FPGA logic in VHDL or Verilog, including simulation, timing analysis, and synthesis workflows.
Experience with ARM Cortex-M, PIC, AM2631, or embedded Linux-based systems.
Familiarity with EMC/EMI considerations, signal integrity, and electronics designed for harsh environments.
Background in aerospace, defense, or ruggedized embedded systems development.
Experience implementing secure bootloaders, cryptography, OTA updates, and cybersecurity-conscious embedded design.
Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Python scripting, or automated hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Knowledge of AS9100 documentation, configuration management, traceability, and structured design processes.
Experience collaborating with hardware engineers and contributing to full-lifecycle hardware/firmware co-design.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, clear communication and technical writing, ability to work independently and on multidisciplinary teams, and interest in innovation and mission-oriented engineering.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and test embedded firmware in C/C++, including drivers, HAL layers, communication stacks, control loops, and board bring-up.
Develop FPGA logic in VHDL or Verilog for digital signal processing, communication interfaces, sensor integration, or high-speed control functions.
Work with Embedded Hardware Design Engineers to define system architecture, validate interfaces, and integrate hardware and firmware.
Implement and support communication protocols including SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, RS-485, USB, Ethernet, and Modbus.
Participate in schematic reviews and provide firmware-related input to PCB layout, including signal routing, timing, EMI/ESD mitigation, and system reliability.
Support system-level testing, debugging, and validation using lab equipment and debugging tools.
Develop test firmware, scripts, and automated test frameworks for prototype evaluation and production verification.
Create technical documentation, software requirements, architecture descriptions, and test procedures consistent with AS9100 quality standards.
Support compliance and qualification efforts for AS9100, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810, DO-704, and related specifications.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Benefits

Employer matching 401(k).
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Medical, vision, and dental insurance for full-time permanent employee-owners.
Company-paid leave and compensation time.
Parental leave.
Long-term and short-term disability insurance.
Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
Life insurance.
Performance appraisals twice a year and annual pay increases based on corporate goals, personal development, performance, and achievements.
Group and individual bonuses for exceptional performance.