Engineering - Engineer Digital 3

Job#: 3021400

Job Description:
Digital Engineer - FPGA / VHDL (On-Site, San Diego, CA)

Telecommute: No - On-site only

Clearance: None required (DoD Secret preferred)

Schedule: 1st Shift (9/80 schedule)

Travel: None

Starting Pay Rate: $75.00/hr
Position Overview

A leading defense and technology contractor is seeking a highly skilled Digital Engineer to support FPGA-based development efforts for advanced communication and embedded systems. This role centers on VHDL firmware development for software-defined radios and other mission-critical digital designs.

This position is part of a multidisciplinary engineering team and requires on-site presence in San Diego, CA.
Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, integrate, and test VHDL-based digital designs, especially for software-defined radio firmware.
• Utilize FPGA development tools and embedded programming environments across the full development lifecycle.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering, Digital Engineering, Hardware Engineering, and Integration & Test teams.
• Participate in both Agile and traditional waterfall development processes.
• Analyze system-level concepts of operation, requirements, and technical documentation to resolve functional, performance, and timing issues.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field with 5+ years of experience,
• OR a Master's degree with 3+ years of experience.
• Substantial hands-on experience with VHDL design and verification.
• Ability to work both independently and in multidisciplinary teams.
• Familiarity with formal engineering development processes and structured design methodologies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional engineering experience.
• Experience with VHDL, OSVVM, and formal FPGA verification methods.
• Proficiency with AMD/Xilinx FPGA families such as Zynq, Kintex, Ultrascale, or Versal.
• Understanding of communication interfaces including I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, and Ethernet.
• Experience with EDA tools such as Vivado, Quartus, QuestaSim, or similar.
• Knowledge of FPGA physical constraints, timing closure, and floorplanning.
• Experience developing test benches and supporting formal VHDL verification workflows.
• Familiarity with board-level and system-level debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and related equipment.
• Background in DoD communication systems is strongly preferred.

EEO Employer

Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law. If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation in using our website for a search or application, please contact our Employee Services Department at or .

Apex Systems is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details.

Apex Benefits Overview: Apex offers a range of supplemental benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection. We offer an ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure. Apex also offers a HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan), a SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions, a corporate discount savings program and other discounts. In terms of professional development, Apex hosts an on-demand training program, provides access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA. Apex has a dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources, as well as a certified Career Coach. You can access a full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our 'Welcome Packet' as well, which an Apex team member can provide.