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Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA)/Digital Design Engineer
  • Job Number: 24383
  • Functional Area: Research - Engineering
  • Department: Haystack Observatory
  • School Area: VP Research
  • Employment Type: Full-Time
  • Employment Category: Exempt
  • Visa Sponsorship Available: No
  • Schedule: M-F


Posting Description

FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAYS (FPGA)/DIGITAL DESIGN ENGINEER, Haystack Observatory, to develop advanced radio-astronomy and radar data acquisition and signal-processing systems along with remote sensor systems.  Will engage with scientists to translate high-level requirements into working hardware and firmware designs, including end-to-end efforts to design systems involving high-speed signal processing.  Projects include digital back-ends for very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), advanced phased-array radar hardware, highly customized software radios, spectral-line processors, and low-power embedded developed sensors.  This will include efforts to develop new astronomical systems to support science measurements from a 37-m radio telescope.  Responsibilities include FPGA design and development of digital receivers, filters, and spectrometers, with data rates approaching terabits per second (Tb/s); translating concepts into working hardware and using the resulting systems in the field; helping write requirements and validation efforts for subsystems; contributing to project cost and time planning efforts; and other duties as assigned.  

Job Requirements

REQUIRED:  M.S. in electrical engineering or related field; two years’ hands-on experience in system and FPGA signal-processing design using VHDL, Verilog, and Xilinx design tools (especially for Xilinx Virtex series); knowledge of digital signal processing techniques and algorithms; comprehensive knowledge of digital design, including signal-processing architectures; knowledge of HDL development using C-to-gates techniques and CASPER tools; experience using Vivado, Vitis, and HLS for graphical- and scripting-based implementations; and familiarity with using MATLAB Simulink to develop and test FPGA signal-processing designs.  PREFERRED:  experience with Altera chips and design flows; experience designing printed circuit boards (PCB) using FPGA hardware operating at multi-gigabits per second (Gb/s) data rates; digital design and PCB fabrication knowledge; and experience with C/C++, Python, and MATLAB programming in a Linux environment.  Job #24383

The initial expectation for this position is on-site presence five days per week with the possibility of a future hybrid schedule.

Occasional travel is required.

Haystack Observatory is located in Westford, MA.

Must be a U.S. citizen.

9/3/24