BA
Senior FPGA Programmer
Accepting applicationsBrooks Automation · Chelmsford, MA
Full-Time Senior AIC++EthernetFPGAMATLAB
Posted
4d ago
Category
Design
Experience
Senior
Country
United States
Brooks is a leading provider of automation solutions with over 40 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, offering precision robotics, integrated automation systems, and contamination control solutions that empower chip manufacturers worldwide. Our product portfolio includes a range of automation solutions, including robots, vacuum systems, and atmospheric robots for semiconductor manufacturing (www.brooks.com).
Are you looking for a place where you can be part of a transformation? Join us at Brooks Automation and be a part of a dynamic organization that is shaping the future of technology.
Senior FPGA Programmer
Job Description
Senior FPGA Engineer – Real-Time Control, Vision & Distributed Systems
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled Senior FPGA Engineer to lead the architecture, development, and implementation of advanced FPGA-based systems for next-generation motion control, machine vision, and distributed automation platforms.
This role will focus on developing ultra-low-latency FPGA architectures supporting:
High-speed sensor acquisition
Real-time image processing
Multi-axis motion control
Distributed EtherCAT-based control networks
Precision electromagnetic actuation systems
Hardware acceleration of computationally intensive algorithms
The ideal candidate combines deep FPGA expertise with strong system-level understanding of controls, sensors, embedded systems, and real-time deterministic architectures. The role provides significant opportunity to influence product architecture, contribute to intellectual property development, and drive breakthrough performance in advanced automation platforms.
Key Responsibilities
FPGA Architecture & Development
Lead development of FPGA-based systems including:
Real-time control architectures
Sensor acquisition pipelines
High-speed communication interfaces
Hardware acceleration engines
Multi-channel synchronized processing systems
Design and implement:
HDL-based designs using VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog
Modular and reusable FPGA architectures
Deterministic low-latency processing pipelines
Multi-clock domain systems
High-bandwidth data movement architectures
Develop FPGA solutions for:
Motion control
Precision positioning systems
Machine vision
High-speed metrology
Electromagnetic actuator control
Motion Control & Real-Time Systems
Develop FPGA implementations supporting:
High-bandwidth control loops
Current control loops
Position and velocity control
Multi-axis synchronized motion
Deterministic distributed control architectures
Implement:
PWM generation
Encoder interfaces
Real-time feedback processing
State-space and advanced control algorithms
Control loop acceleration
Support architectures capable of:
Sub-millisecond closed-loop response
Hundreds of synchronized control channels
Distributed real-time execution
Machine Vision & Sensor Processing
Design FPGA pipelines for:
High-speed camera interfaces
Real-time image acquisition
Marker extraction and tracking
Edge detection and feature extraction
Sensor fusion architectures
Develop real-time processing solutions for:
Gigabit Ethernet Vision
MIPI interfaces
Camera Link
CoaXPress
Custom sensor interfaces
Implement:
DMA architectures
Frame buffering
Hardware image processing accelerators
Deterministic vision-processing pipelines
High-Speed Data & Communication Systems
Develop FPGA-based communication architectures including:
EtherCAT
SPI
Parallel SPI
UART
CAN
PCIe
Gigabit Ethernet
Multi-Gigabit SerDes
Design:
Distributed synchronization architectures
Precision timing systems
Networked FPGA platforms
Multi-node control systems
Support scalable architectures capable of coordinating large numbers of distributed devices.
Hardware Integration & Board Bring-Up
Collaborate closely with:
Electrical engineers
Controls engineers
Mechanical engineers
Software engineers
Systems architects
Support:
FPGA board selection
SoC architecture development
Hardware bring-up and validation
Signal integrity debugging
Power and thermal optimization
Interface with:
ADCs
DACs
Sensors
Power electronics
Motor drivers
High-speed memory systems
Performance Optimization
Lead efforts to optimize:
FPGA resource utilization
Latency
Throughput
Memory bandwidth
Determinism
Power consumption
Create automated test environments for:
Functional verification
Hardware-in-the-loop validation
Timing closure verification
Production readiness testing
Innovation & Technical Leadership
Drive technical innovation through:
Patent disclosures
Intellectual property creation
Architecture reviews
Technical mentoring
Best-practice development
Contribute to next-generation:
Control architectures
Vision systems
Motion control platforms
AI-assisted hardware acceleration
Required Qualifications
B.S., M.S., or PhD in:
Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Robotics
Controls Engineering
Related technical discipline
8+ years of FPGA development experience
Expert proficiency with:
VHDL
Verilog/SystemVerilog
FPGA design methodologies
Strong experience with one or more FPGA families:
AMD/Xilinx
Intel/Altera
Lattice
Demonstrated experience developing:
Real-time FPGA control systems
High-speed sensor interfaces
Hardware accelerators
Multi-channel synchronized processing architectures
Strong understanding of:
Digital signal processing
Control systems
Motion control
Hardware/software partitioning
Timing closure methodologies
Experience with:
Simulation and verification
Testbench development
Hardware debugging
Lab instrumentation
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in:
Precision motion control systems
Semiconductor equipment
Robotics
Advanced automation
Machine vision
Knowledge of:
EtherCAT networks
Distributed controls
Sensor fusion
Computer vision acceleration
FPGA-based image processing
Experience implementing:
Kalman filtering
State estimation
Motor control
Electromagnetic actuator control
Real-time control loops
Familiarity with:
MATLAB/Simulink
Python
C/C++
Embedded Linux
Experience with:
Zynq SoCs
PCIe architectures
High-speed memory interfaces (DDR4/DDR5)
Multi-gigabit serial transceivers
Compensation
Base Salary Range: $118,265.18 USD to $160,005.83 USD
Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.
Benefits
At Brooks, we offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
Medical, Dental, Vision and Disability Insurance
401(k) Plan
Exempt employees are provided company paid holidays and Flexible Vacation to enjoy personal time off and incidental sickness.
Have a question about our benefits and compensation package? Your recruiter can share more with you during the hiring process.
Work Location & Flexibility
At Brooks, we aim to foster a collaborative and engaging environment while offering flexibility where possible. Work arrangements may include a mix of in-office and remote work, depending on the nature of the role and business needs. Specific expectations will be shared during the interview process.
Brooks is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and proudly serves as an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.
Diversity enhances our innovative capabilities and strengthens our ability to serve our customers and communities effectively. At Brooks Automation, we celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives each individual brings, believing they are essential to our collective success. Join us in building a workplace where every team member is valued and can thrive.
For applicants with disabilities requiring accommodations, don't hesitate to get in touch with talentattraction@brooks.com or call +1 (978) 262-2400 to discuss your needs.
Review EEO Law & EEO Statement.
Brooks Automation participates in E-Verify® to confirm eligibility for employment in the United States. For more details, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Show more Show less
Are you looking for a place where you can be part of a transformation? Join us at Brooks Automation and be a part of a dynamic organization that is shaping the future of technology.
Senior FPGA Programmer
Job Description
Senior FPGA Engineer – Real-Time Control, Vision & Distributed Systems
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled Senior FPGA Engineer to lead the architecture, development, and implementation of advanced FPGA-based systems for next-generation motion control, machine vision, and distributed automation platforms.
This role will focus on developing ultra-low-latency FPGA architectures supporting:
High-speed sensor acquisition
Real-time image processing
Multi-axis motion control
Distributed EtherCAT-based control networks
Precision electromagnetic actuation systems
Hardware acceleration of computationally intensive algorithms
The ideal candidate combines deep FPGA expertise with strong system-level understanding of controls, sensors, embedded systems, and real-time deterministic architectures. The role provides significant opportunity to influence product architecture, contribute to intellectual property development, and drive breakthrough performance in advanced automation platforms.
Key Responsibilities
FPGA Architecture & Development
Lead development of FPGA-based systems including:
Real-time control architectures
Sensor acquisition pipelines
High-speed communication interfaces
Hardware acceleration engines
Multi-channel synchronized processing systems
Design and implement:
HDL-based designs using VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog
Modular and reusable FPGA architectures
Deterministic low-latency processing pipelines
Multi-clock domain systems
High-bandwidth data movement architectures
Develop FPGA solutions for:
Motion control
Precision positioning systems
Machine vision
High-speed metrology
Electromagnetic actuator control
Motion Control & Real-Time Systems
Develop FPGA implementations supporting:
High-bandwidth control loops
Current control loops
Position and velocity control
Multi-axis synchronized motion
Deterministic distributed control architectures
Implement:
PWM generation
Encoder interfaces
Real-time feedback processing
State-space and advanced control algorithms
Control loop acceleration
Support architectures capable of:
Sub-millisecond closed-loop response
Hundreds of synchronized control channels
Distributed real-time execution
Machine Vision & Sensor Processing
Design FPGA pipelines for:
High-speed camera interfaces
Real-time image acquisition
Marker extraction and tracking
Edge detection and feature extraction
Sensor fusion architectures
Develop real-time processing solutions for:
Gigabit Ethernet Vision
MIPI interfaces
Camera Link
CoaXPress
Custom sensor interfaces
Implement:
DMA architectures
Frame buffering
Hardware image processing accelerators
Deterministic vision-processing pipelines
High-Speed Data & Communication Systems
Develop FPGA-based communication architectures including:
EtherCAT
SPI
Parallel SPI
UART
CAN
PCIe
Gigabit Ethernet
Multi-Gigabit SerDes
Design:
Distributed synchronization architectures
Precision timing systems
Networked FPGA platforms
Multi-node control systems
Support scalable architectures capable of coordinating large numbers of distributed devices.
Hardware Integration & Board Bring-Up
Collaborate closely with:
Electrical engineers
Controls engineers
Mechanical engineers
Software engineers
Systems architects
Support:
FPGA board selection
SoC architecture development
Hardware bring-up and validation
Signal integrity debugging
Power and thermal optimization
Interface with:
ADCs
DACs
Sensors
Power electronics
Motor drivers
High-speed memory systems
Performance Optimization
Lead efforts to optimize:
FPGA resource utilization
Latency
Throughput
Memory bandwidth
Determinism
Power consumption
Create automated test environments for:
Functional verification
Hardware-in-the-loop validation
Timing closure verification
Production readiness testing
Innovation & Technical Leadership
Drive technical innovation through:
Patent disclosures
Intellectual property creation
Architecture reviews
Technical mentoring
Best-practice development
Contribute to next-generation:
Control architectures
Vision systems
Motion control platforms
AI-assisted hardware acceleration
Required Qualifications
B.S., M.S., or PhD in:
Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Robotics
Controls Engineering
Related technical discipline
8+ years of FPGA development experience
Expert proficiency with:
VHDL
Verilog/SystemVerilog
FPGA design methodologies
Strong experience with one or more FPGA families:
AMD/Xilinx
Intel/Altera
Lattice
Demonstrated experience developing:
Real-time FPGA control systems
High-speed sensor interfaces
Hardware accelerators
Multi-channel synchronized processing architectures
Strong understanding of:
Digital signal processing
Control systems
Motion control
Hardware/software partitioning
Timing closure methodologies
Experience with:
Simulation and verification
Testbench development
Hardware debugging
Lab instrumentation
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in:
Precision motion control systems
Semiconductor equipment
Robotics
Advanced automation
Machine vision
Knowledge of:
EtherCAT networks
Distributed controls
Sensor fusion
Computer vision acceleration
FPGA-based image processing
Experience implementing:
Kalman filtering
State estimation
Motor control
Electromagnetic actuator control
Real-time control loops
Familiarity with:
MATLAB/Simulink
Python
C/C++
Embedded Linux
Experience with:
Zynq SoCs
PCIe architectures
High-speed memory interfaces (DDR4/DDR5)
Multi-gigabit serial transceivers
Compensation
Base Salary Range: $118,265.18 USD to $160,005.83 USD
Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.
This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.
Benefits
At Brooks, we offer the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:
Medical, Dental, Vision and Disability Insurance
401(k) Plan
Exempt employees are provided company paid holidays and Flexible Vacation to enjoy personal time off and incidental sickness.
Have a question about our benefits and compensation package? Your recruiter can share more with you during the hiring process.
Work Location & Flexibility
At Brooks, we aim to foster a collaborative and engaging environment while offering flexibility where possible. Work arrangements may include a mix of in-office and remote work, depending on the nature of the role and business needs. Specific expectations will be shared during the interview process.
Brooks is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and proudly serves as an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.
Diversity enhances our innovative capabilities and strengthens our ability to serve our customers and communities effectively. At Brooks Automation, we celebrate the unique experiences and perspectives each individual brings, believing they are essential to our collective success. Join us in building a workplace where every team member is valued and can thrive.
For applicants with disabilities requiring accommodations, don't hesitate to get in touch with talentattraction@brooks.com or call +1 (978) 262-2400 to discuss your needs.
Review EEO Law & EEO Statement.
Brooks Automation participates in E-Verify® to confirm eligibility for employment in the United States. For more details, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Show more Show less