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 [email protected]