Signal Processing Specialist Field Applications Engineer (FAE)-West Region

Altera•Washington, NV

3d•$166,900 - $266,600•Remote

About The Position

The Signal Processing Specialist Field Applications Engineer (FAE) serves as a trusted technical advisor to customers, helping architect, develop, and deploy advanced signal processing solutions using Altera FPGA and heterogeneous compute technologies. The role bridges customer requirements, field sales, and engineering teams to accelerate adoption of high-performance signal processing solutions across communications, aerospace and defense, industrial, and emerging AI-driven applications. It combines deep expertise in signal processing algorithms and system architecture with customer engagement to support opportunities from concept through production deployment. The FAE supports DirectRF and next-generation signal processing initiatives, helping customers address challenges involving RF digitization, radar, electronic warfare, communications, imaging, and real-time data processing. The role works with customers on system requirements, architecture selection, algorithm development and modeling, FPGA implementation, deployment, performance optimization, and hardware acceleration. It also develops reusable architectures, proofs of concept, demonstrations, technical collateral, training, and best practices. The position collaborates with Sales, Field Applications, Product Marketing, Engineering, Architecture, Business Development, and Altera’s Aerospace, Defense, and Government organization. It supports strategic opportunities and accounts, contributes to opportunity prioritization and competitive positioning, and helps drive design wins and customer outcomes. The position is remote, with listed locations in Sacramento, California, and additional U.S. locations. Travel is required as needed. Compensation is $166,900–$266,600 USD, reflecting a sales role with salary and incentive. Applicants must be eligible for any required U.S. export authorizations. Altera uses artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Signal Processing, or a related STEM field.
10 or more years of experience in signal processing, communications, radar, RF, imaging, or related application domains.
10 or more years of experience developing FPGA-based or hardware-accelerated solutions.
Strong understanding of digital signal processing concepts and implementation techniques.
Experience with FPGA development environments such as Quartus, Vivado, or equivalent.
Proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C/C++, or similar signal processing development tools.
Experience modeling and validating signal processing algorithms before hardware implementation.
Ability to travel as required.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex signal processing concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong customer engagement and relationship-building skills.
Demonstrated problem-solving and analytical abilities.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
Comfort presenting at customer events, industry conferences, and technical forums.
Eligibility for any required U.S. export authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Signal Processing, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
Five or more years of experience in radar systems, electronic warfare, wireless communications, satellite communications, image/video processing, AI/ML for signal processing, or software-defined radio.
Experience with high-level design methodologies and tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, DSP Builder, HLS, OneAPI, or model-based design environments.
Experience in customer-facing roles such as Field Applications Engineering, Technical Marketing, Solution Architecture, or Technical Sales.
Familiarity with DirectRF architectures and RF signal chain design.
Experience converting signal processing algorithms into optimized FPGA implementations.
Background supporting Aerospace & Defense customers and mission-critical applications.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary technical advisor for signal processing applications using Altera FPGA solutions.
Engage customer engineering teams to understand system-level requirements and recommend optimized architectures.
Lead technical discussions on signal processing, communications, radar, imaging, AI/ML inference, and RF systems.
Influence design decisions and technology selection through technical expertise and consultative engagement.
Partner with Sales and Field Applications teams to identify, qualify, and advance strategic signal processing opportunities.
Demonstrate and position Altera solutions for real-time signal processing workloads.
Guide customers through the design cycle, from algorithm development and modeling through FPGA implementation and deployment.
Help customers evaluate performance, power, scalability, and system tradeoffs.
Provide technical leadership in digital filtering and multi-rate systems, FFTs and spectral analysis, beamforming and MIMO, radar and electronic warfare processing, wireless communications and channelization, image and video processing, sensor fusion and real-time analytics, and AI/ML integration in signal processing pipelines.
Debug and resolve algorithmic, architectural, and implementation challenges.
Develop reusable solution architectures, proofs of concept, demonstrations, and technical collateral.
Support performance optimization and FPGA-based hardware acceleration strategies.
Partner with Altera’s Aerospace, Defense, and Government organization on strategic DirectRF opportunities.
Help customers architect end-to-end RF signal processing solutions covering RF digitization, transport, processing, and analytics.
Support radar, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, satellite communications, and wireless and 5G/6G applications.
Provide customer feedback to inform future DirectRF and signal processing product roadmaps.
Collaborate with Product Marketing, Engineering, Architecture, and Business Development teams.
Deliver customer and internal training on signal processing solutions, methodologies, and development tools.
Contribute to application notes, white papers, technical workshops, and reference designs.
Help define best practices and reusable methodologies across the FAE organization.
Support strategic opportunities and accounts with significant revenue potential.
Contribute technical insight to opportunity prioritization, competitive positioning, and resource allocation.
Drive measurable design wins and customer success outcomes.
Assist in tracking pipeline growth, engagement metrics, and strategic program execution.
Present at customer events, industry conferences, and technical forums.
Travel as required.