Senior FPGA Engineer

Location: Torrance, CA
Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site
Compensation: Competitive salary and benefits package
· $175,000 - $225,000 per year –Salary plus Stock Options

Job Description:
We are seeking an FPGA Engineer to design and implement complex FPGA designs for advanced and highly embedded multidomain robotics platforms. The ideal candidate must be motivated and a self-starter willing to expand their knowledge base and expertise.

Responsibilities: The candidate will:
Design, implement, and test FPGA-based systems to enhance product capabilities
Build hardware/firmware specifically for avionics, robotics & flight-critical systems
Develop and maintain RTL/firmware for peripherals, converters (ADC/DAC), and communication interfaces including 1 Gb+ Ethernet, PCIe, Serial (SPI, UART)
Conduct simulation, hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing and validation

Required Qualifications:
Must be a U.S Citizen
Prior Experience: 3+ years
Work on location in Torrance, CA
Minimum a BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
Need strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a small team environment
Experience in VHDL/Verilog, SoC (System on Chip) design, and FPGA platforms. Strong preference for VHDL
Worked with AMD/Xilinx FPGAs and/or SoC FPGAs
Experience with Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Tools:
GHDL, GTKWave, OpenOCD

Specific Job Tasks will Include the Following:

FPGA Architecture & Integration
Architect FPGA subsystems including data paths, memory hierarchies, and interface logic
Integrate FPGA designs with embedded processors (ARM/RISC-V soft or hard cores)
Define register maps and hardware/software interfaces for FPGA peripherals
Collaborate with PCB designers to ensure signal integrity, pin planning, and power requirements

Verification & Validation
Develop simulation testbenches and verification environments
Perform functional simulation and waveform analysis to validate RTL
Perform timing analysis and timing closure across multiple clock domains
Support system bring-up and debug using on-chip analyzers (e.g., ILA/SignalTap equivalents)

Hardware Debug & Integration
Debug FPGA designs using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG tools
Support hardware bring-up of new boards and prototypes
Work closely with software and controls engineers to integrate FPGA functionality into the robotics platform

General Desired Skills Include
Linux / Mac knowledge
Command line tools and strong Unix tools and toolchains know-how
Basic Linux host management (package management, updates etc.) understanding

FPGA Related Desired Skills Include
Familiarity with Lattice / Microchip (Microsemi / Actel) and other cost-effective FPGA platforms / toolchains
Experience with AXI bus (AXI Stream, AXI-4, etc.)
Proficient with DSP on FPGA data flows and implementations highly desired
Experience with processing, data routing and/or compute pipeline design methodologies
Experience with timing closure techniques
Prefer real world validation over simulated validation

Company Overview
CHIRP Robotics is a well-funded seed-stage startup operating in stealth mode and based in Torrance, California. The company aims to become a leading U.S. provider of modular intelligence and autonomous systems for a wide range of vehicles and applications. It has an impressive portfolio of patents on the hardware side and IP in software / algorithms. CHIRP’s CEO, a founding member of SpaceX, brings extensive technical expertise, a strong professional network, and significant business leadership experience.

Why Join Us?
· Opportunity to work on innovative and complex systems.
· Hands-on experience with a broad range of engineering challenges.
· Collaborative and growth-oriented work environment.
· Competitive salary and benefits package.
If you are a driven and passionate engineer looking to work and grow in a challenging and rewarding role, we would love to hear from you! Apply today by sending your resume to jobs@chirprobotics.com
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