AstroTalentSpace Jobs

Electrical Engineer - FPGA Firmware Verified today

Star Catcher · Jacksonville, FL · Electronics · first seen 2026-10-09
Apply at Star Catcher →

Star Catcher is building the first energy grid in space to power the orbital economy. Today's spacecraft must generate all their own power, limiting capability and operational duration. Star Catcher is developing technology to wirelessly beam energy to spacecraft's existing solar panels.

We are hiring an Electrical Engineer - FPGA Firmware in Jacksonville, Florida to support development of space-to-space power beaming spacecraft and the Star Catcher Network, our orbital power grid.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design and verify FPGA gateware (VHDL/Verilog) for control loops and signal processing under established architecture
  • Utilize, implement, and validate algorithms in FPGAs and firmware
  • Support simulation, verification, and hardware-in-the-loop testing of FPGA designs
  • Assist in development of high-level and detailed verification test plans consistent with system requirements and specifications
  • Perform detailed analysis including requirements analysis, component synthesis, timing, and clock domain crossings
  • Prepare and participate in design and implementation reviews
  • Collaborate with digital hardware and embedded software engineers on interface definition
  • Support qualification of FPGA/SoC platforms for flight applications

Basic Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline
  • 5+ years of experience designing and verifying FPGA gateware in VHDL or Verilog
  • Familiarity with FPGA/SoC design toolchains, including synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure
  • Working knowledge of logic simulation tools (e.g., ModelSim/Questa or equivalent), with experience developing self-checking testbenches, assertions/checkers, and automated regression tests
  • Experience using Git or equivalent version control for RTL, constraints, testbenches, and reproducible build configurations

Desired Skills

  • Experience with a verification framework appropriate to the design language, such as UVM (SystemVerilog), OSVVM/UVVM (VHDL), or cocotb (Python); equivalent structured verification experience
  • Exposure to implementing real-time control loops in reconfigurable logic
  • Familiarity with radiation-tolerant or space-qualified FPGA/SoC platforms
  • Experience with DSP or signal-processing in FPGA fabric
  • Exposure to spacecraft communications protocols (CCSDS) such as AOS, EPP, TM/TC, SPP
  • Experience with signal processing for RF communications systems, including communication system signal processing theory and waveform design
  • Exposure to standard streaming and memory-mapped interfaces (e.g., AMBA AXI, Avalon)
  • Exposure to digital hardware interfaces and architectures, including NAND/NOR/DDR memory interfaces, GigE/10GigE, high-speed SERDES, and LVDS/RS-422/I2C/SPI
  • MATLAB/Simulink experience
  • Working knowledge of manufacturing, assembly, and test processes

Star Catcher offers a competitive benefits package including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance, and paid parental leave.

Employment is contingent upon a thorough background check and proof of eligibility to work in the US. Due to U.S. Government space technology export regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.