FPGA Engineer at Houston, TX

Position: FPGA Design & Validation Engineer

Location: Houston, TX

Long term

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.

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.