Senior Firmware/FPGA Engineer - Space Technologies

BlueHalo•Albuquerque, NM

33d

About The Position

At BlueHalo, an AV company, we provide a full suite of exquisite, space-qualified hardware trusted to fly in the most extreme environments space presents across GEO, MEO, LEO and Cislunar orbits. With hundreds of systems flying in space, our customers turn to BlueHalo when a mission can't fail. Our team is expanding to do the big things that have never been done before - the things the nation and the world are counting on us to deliver. Join the transformation and help us make this impact now. BlueHalo seeks a skilled Senior FPGA Engineer to join a multi-disciplinary team within the SpaceTech division. This role focuses on developing high-performance digital systems for electromechanical, electro-optical, control, and communication solutions, utilizing SoC, FPGA, GPP, and microcontroller architectures.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
FPGA Platforms: Six years of experience using and implementing designs on: Xilinx devices (Zynq, Virtex, Kintex) and toolchains (Vivado, ISE). Microchip devices (RTAX, ProASIC, RTG4) and toolchains (Libero).
Experience Level: Six years of experience in embedded systems firmware development, preferably for aerospace or space applications.
Languages: Six years of experience designing with Hardware Description Languages (VHDL or Verilog).
Hardware Implementation: Proven experience successfully taking VHDL or Verilog designs from concept to physical hardware implementation.
Digital Design: Expertise in digital design techniques, including multiple clock-domain management.
Verification & Debug: Proficient with in-system debuggers and logic analyzers.
Tooling: Experience with Tool Command Language (TCL) for script automation.
Physical Design: Experience designing and managing FPGA physical constraints.
Security: Ability to obtain and maintain a US security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Embedded Computing: Knowledge of RTOS, bare-metal firmware, and hardware-software co-design principles.
Verification: Familiarity with modern verification techniques (e.g., linting and constrained random testing).
Specialized Knowledge: Familiarity with Xilinx SoC devices, FPGA floorplanning, Xilinx System Generator, hardware accelerators, and space communication protocols.
Additional Languages: Familiarity with C/C++, Python, or Java for embedded software or scripting tasks.
Tooling: Familiarity with alternative synthesis and simulation environments (Synopsys, Aldec).

Responsibilities

Architect and implement mission-specific and general-purpose firmware for FPGAs, microcontrollers, and RTOS-based systems.
Develop and maintain firmware for standard and specialized peripheral interfaces, including:
Analog-to-Digital (ADC) and Digital-to-Analog (DAC) Converters.
Serial communication links (e.g., SpaceWire, SPI, CameraLink, 1Gb+ Ethernet, MIL-1553B).
Optimize embedded software for radiation-hardened and high-reliability space environments.
Develop and maintain automated build scripts (TCL) for the FPGA firmware platform.
Conduct rigorous system integration, testing, and validation of firmware in simulated and real-world aerospace conditions.
Deploy and verify firmware functionality on physical hardware devices.
Collaborate closely with hardware and software engineers to ensure seamless system functionality.
Ensure technical compliance with relevant space industry standards (e.g., NASA, ESA, MIL-STD).