FPGA Engineer III - Advanced Programs

Quantum Space•Rockville, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space. Our high-mobility spacecraft platforms support national security, civil, and commercial missions with unmatched flexibility and propulsion capability. We build fast and iterate quickly. We are seeking a motivated and technically capable Electrical Engineer to support the design, development, integration, and testing of spacecraft electrical systems and defense-related space technologies. In this role, you will contribute to spacecraft avionics, communications, power systems, embedded electronics, and hardware integration activities while collaborating closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams. You will work hands-on with cutting-edge aerospace hardware in a fast-paced environment supporting national security and spaceflight missions. We are seeking an FPGA Engineer III – Advanced Programs to lead development of advanced FPGA-based systems supporting next-generation Ranger spacecraft missions. This role is intended for an experienced FPGA engineer capable of driving programmable logic architecture, embedded hardware integration, high-speed interface implementation, and mission-critical digital system development from concept through flight delivery. You will work closely with avionics, RF communications, flight software, systems, payload, GNC, and hardware engineering teams to develop reliable, high-performance FPGA architectures supporting long-duration, high-mobility spacecraft operations.

Requirements

B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field
7+ years of experience developing FPGA-based systems for aerospace, defense, or high-reliability embedded applications
Strong experience designing FPGA architectures utilizing VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog
Experience designing for AMD and Microsemi FPGA devices
Experience implementing high-speed digital interfaces including LVDS, SpaceWire, Gigabit Ethernet, SPI, I2C, UART, and related protocols
Strong understanding of FPGA timing analysis, timing closure, clock-domain crossing, and signal integrity considerations
Experience supporting FPGA hardware bring-up, debugging, and integration activities
Experience developing FPGA verification environments and simulation workflows
Experience with radiation-tolerant or radiation-hardened FPGA architectures and design practices
Direct experience developing FPGA systems for spacecraft or spaceflight applications
Strong systems-level understanding of embedded hardware and spacecraft avionics integration
Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and cross-functional communication skills
Comfortable operating in fast-paced spacecraft development environments with high ownership and execution expectations
To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual per 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical field
Experience supporting spacecraft avionics, RF communications, payload processing, or GNC systems
Experience supporting reliability, radiation, and EMI/EMC considerations at both hardware and system levels
Experience developing FPGA-based fault management, redundancy, or safety-critical architectures
Experience supporting spacecraft AI&T activities including vehicle-level and component-level environmental testing
Experience supporting spacecraft mission operations activities post-deployment
Experience leading FPGA design reviews, architecture reviews, and integration reviews
Familiarity with embedded software integration and processor-based SoC architectures
Experience with scripting and automation tools including Python or Tcl
Knowledge of emerging FPGA technologies and high-performance embedded processing architectures

Responsibilities

Lead FPGA subsystem development across advanced Ranger spacecraft programs from architecture definition through integration and flight readiness
Develop FPGA architectures supporting spacecraft avionics, communications, payload processing, timing systems, and embedded control applications
Design, implement, integrate, and validate FPGA firmware utilizing VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog
Support FPGA integration with embedded processors, avionics hardware, RF communications systems, sensors, and payload electronics
Collaborate with electrical hardware teams to define FPGA interface requirements, timing constraints, and board-level integration architectures
Support development of verification environments, simulation infrastructure, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and regression test workflows
Lead FPGA debugging, timing closure, hardware bring-up, and root-cause analysis activities across integrated spacecraft systems
Support subsystem integration, environmental testing, and mission-readiness activities across spacecraft development programs
Participate in major development reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and FRR activities
Develop and maintain FPGA design documentation, interface definitions, verification artifacts, and procedures