FPGA Design & Validation Engineer

Job Title: FPGA Design & Validation Engineer (Oil & Gas Systems)

Location: Houston, TX (Onsite)

Job Type: Contract

As an FPGA Engineer in our Oil & Gas division, you will develop high-reliability digital systems for demanding environments, such as downhole drilling tools , subsea instrumentation , or refinery monitoring systems . You will leverage VHDL to implement complex data acquisition and signal processing algorithms that must operate under strict power and thermal constraints. A significant portion of this role involves hands-on lab validation to ensure system integrity before deployment in remote or hazardous field locations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ruggedized Design: Implement synthesizable VHDL code optimized for low power consumption and high-temperature stability (e.g., surviving 150°C+ for downhole applications).
• High-Reliability Validation: Lead hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing in the lab to simulate harsh field conditions. Utilize oscilloscopes, logic analyzers (ILA/SignalTap) , and thermal chambers to verify timing and functional reliability.
• Protocol Management: Develop and test custom and industry-standard communication bridges (e.g., Modbus, Ethernet/IP, CAN, or proprietary mud-pulse telemetry ).
• Data Integrity: Design robust memory interfaces (DDR3/4) and error correction (ECC) for large-scale data logging during seismic or pipe inspection missions.
• Certification Support: Maintain detailed documentation of testing protocols and validation results to support safety and industry compliance standards.
• Perform functional and timing verification using respective simulators
• Conduct post-synthesis and post-layout verification.

Work Experience

Required Technical Skills

• Language & Logic: Expert proficiency in VHDL ; experience with high-reliability design techniques like triple modular redundancy (TMR) is a plus.
• Tools: Expert-level use of Xilinx Vivado , Intel Quartus , Lattice FPGA or Microchip Libero .
• Lab Expertise: Mastery of high-speed digital probing, power analysis (using tools like XPE), and debugging hardware-software interfaces.
• Industry Interfaces: Experience with ADC/DAC interfacing (using JESD204B or LVDS) for high-precision instrumentation.
• Environment: Understanding of design constraints for battery-operated or power-limited remote systems.

Qualifications

• Education: B.E./M.Tech in Electrical, Electronics, or Instrumentation Engineering.
• Experience: 3+ years in FPGA development, preferably with exposure to industrial automation , subsea electronics , or downhole tools .
• Soft Skills: Strong analytical mindset for "root cause" debugging in complex, multi-disciplinary systems.