Senior FPGA Engineer

About Vector Atomic
Vector Atomic is a cutting-edge technology company specializing in the development of quantum devices for various applications. Our mission is to leverage the incredible properties of quantum systems to create innovative solutions that address real-world challenges. From GPS-free navigation and geophysical exploration to telecommunications, our goal is to revolutionize industries with our quantum technology.

At Vector Atomic, we have a team-oriented environment that promotes collaboration and innovation. We value creativity, passion, and a drive for excellence in our employees. If you are excited about being at the forefront of quantum technology and working in a dynamic, fast-paced company, Vector Atomic is the place for you!

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior FPGA Engineer to join our team and contribute to the development of the next generation of quantum technology. In this role, you will be responsible for designing and implementing FPGA-based controllers for our quantum sensors. While initially focused on research and development, the ultimate objective is to transition to commercial devices. The ideal candidate is a strong individual contributor who can take ownership of their tasks while also supporting the overall team goals.

Responsibilities

1. Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of physicists, electronics engineers, and optical designers to define requirements and select FPGA/SoC parts.
2. Assist in the design of custom PCBs based on modern FPGA/SoC devices.
3. Identify and address critical design issues to ensure robust board layouts.
4. Create RTL, test benches, and EDA support files to meet performance goals.
5. Contribute to board bring-up and integration of FPGA-based electronics, including validation through test scripts and documentation.

Requirements

1. Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
2. Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience for candidates with a BSEE/MSEE degree, or a minimum of 7 years for candidates with related technical degrees.
3. US export control laws require "U.S. Persons" including US citizens (born or naturalized), lawful permanent residents, and certain categories of refugees and asylees.
4. Comfortable working in a laboratory environment.
5. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
6. Expertise in HDL coding (Verilog and/or VHDL) for synthesizable RTL and verification.
7. Experience with EDA tools such as Vivado and/or Quartus for FPGA design.
8. Strong understanding of fixed-point digital signal processing in RTL designs.
9. Familiarity with laboratory test and measurement equipment (oscilloscopes, power supplies, logic analyzers, etc.).
10. Ability to assist hardware engineers in designing PCBs for Xilinx and/or Altera FPGA/SoCs.
11. Proficiency in writing physical and timing constraints (SDC) for high clock rate FPGAs.
12. Knowledge of industry-standard communication protocols (SPI, I2C, AXI, Avalon, Ethernet, AMBA, Wishbone).
13. Experience with scripting for EDA tools, preferably TCL or Python.
14. Understanding of practical RTL design issues (latency, jitter, metastable behavior, hold/setup time, multicycle paths).
15. Proficient in revision control and issue tracking tools (e.g., Git, Jira).

Additional Qualifications

1. Experience with SoC designs, such as Zynq, Ultrascale, and/or Arria.
2. Knowledge of formal verification techniques (PSL, SystemVerilog, UVVM, UVM, OVM).
3. Understanding of embedded Linux on ARM, UBoot, and device trees.
4. Familiarity with embedded TCP/IP stacks on SoCs, such as lwIP and/or embedded Linux.
5. Proficiency in Altium for PCB design.

Benefits

At Vector Atomic we value teamwork, open and honest discourse, and work-life balance. We are an employee-owned company with competitive compensation and benefits including:

1. Platinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision).
2. Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
3. Employer 401(k) contributions.
4. 20 days of paid time off / 10 paid holidays.
5. Paid parental leave.
6. Stock ownership plan.
7. Fully stocked kitchen.

Pay Range

We provide market-competitive compensation packages, inclusive of base pay, performance bonus, benefits, and equity. The pay range for this position is $125,000 to $175,000 including annual bonus. It's atypical to be hired at the top end of this range for the role, as actual pay is based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience level.

Vector Atomic is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by law.