Senior Principal FPGA Engineer

Senior Principal FPGA Engineer

Location: Rochester, NY Department: Engineering FLSA Status: Exempt

Vanteon, a Performance Drone Works (PDW) Company, develops wireless, RF, and embedded technology for demanding applications. Our engineers work across hardware, software, firmware, and FPGA design to bring complex systems from concept through implementation and verification.

We are seeking a Senior Principal FPGA Engineer to provide technical leadership and hands-on development for customer programs and internal research and development. You will own complex FPGA architectures, solve challenging integration problems, and help strengthen the team's engineering practices. This role combines independent technical execution with collaboration, design review, and mentoring.

What You'll Do

• Lead FPGA and SoC architecture, design, implementation, and verification for complex embedded systems.
• Translate system requirements into FPGA specifications, interface definitions, implementation plans, and verification criteria.
• Develop synthesizable VHDL and/or Verilog for digital logic, control functions, data interfaces, and real-time processing.
• Own synthesis, implementation, timing constraints, timing closure, and resource optimization.
• Develop simulation environments and test benches to verify functionality and identify issues before hardware integration.
• Lead FPGA configuration, hardware bring-up, debugging, and integration with embedded processors, firmware, and electronic subsystems.
• Collaborate with RF, hardware, DSP, and embedded software engineers to resolve system-level design challenges.
• Evaluate technical approaches and clearly communicate tradeoffs involving performance, complexity, schedule, and risk.
• Lead design reviews and maintain clear technical documentation, including architecture descriptions, verification results, and design rationale.
• Mentor engineers and improve reusable designs, development workflows, and verification practices.
• Provide technical estimates, feasibility assessments, and support for proposals and project planning.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive professional FPGA development experience, including technical ownership of complex designs through hardware verification and delivery.
• Advanced proficiency in VHDL and/or Verilog and a strong understanding of synthesizable design practices.
• Strong experience with FPGA development tools, including AMD/Xilinx Vivado and associated simulation and debugging tools.
• Demonstrated expertise in timing constraints, timing closure, clock-domain crossings, reset strategies, and FPGA resource optimization.
• Experience developing and verifying FPGA interfaces to processors, memory, peripherals, and other hardware.
• Experience with FPGA configuration, board bring-up, and diagnosing hardware and logic issues using laboratory equipment and embedded debugging tools.
• Ability to work independently, lead technical decisions, and coordinate effectively across engineering disciplines.
• Strong analytical, written communication, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to meet the onsite ramp-up and controlled-data access requirements described below.

Preferred

• Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience with AMD/Xilinx Zynq, UltraScale+, or comparable FPGA and SoC platforms.
• Experience with Vivado/Vitis, Questa/ModelSim, or Intel Quartus toolchains.
• Experience implementing DSP algorithms, digital communications functions, or software-defined radio capabilities in FPGA hardware.
• Experience with high-throughput data paths and interfaces such as AXI, DMA, Ethernet, PCIe, and DDR memory.
• Familiarity with embedded C/C++, processor-to-FPGA integration, and embedded Linux systems.
• Experience with automated verification, scripting, version control, and continuous integration.
• Experience supporting wireless, RF, aerospace, defense, robotics, or other demanding embedded applications.

Physical Requirements

This position involves extended periods working at a computer and performing laboratory development and testing. Duties may require sitting, standing, walking, reaching, and handling electronic hardware and test equipment. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

This role works closely with engineers in an office and electronics laboratory environment.

Our preference is for a candidate who can work regularly from our Rochester, NY office, with flexibility to work from home as project activities allow. Hardware bring-up, integration, testing, and other collaborative work will require onsite participation.

Exceptionally qualified candidates outside the region may be considered only if they can work onsite in Rochester for an initial ramp-up period of three to six months before transitioning to a remote arrangement. Any subsequent remote arrangement will depend on project needs and the ability to perform assigned responsibilities effectively.

Occasional work outside normal business hours may be necessary to support project milestones and integration activities.

ITAR and CUI Requirement

This position requires access to export-controlled technical data and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Candidates must be U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible to access the specific ITAR-controlled data and CUI required for assigned projects without additional authorization.

Benefits

Vanteon offers a flexible work environment and diverse projects spanning defense, commercial, and green technologies for companies large and small. Employees can expand their skills through cross-training, education benefits, and a mentoring program that connects them with senior staff and provides opportunities to mentor junior engineers and co-op students. Employee-sponsored events create opportunities to connect beyond project work.

Vanteon values our team, and we offer a compensation package reflective of your experience and capabilities. Benefits include:

• Comprehensive BCBS medical, dental, and vision coverage; New for 2027 - 80% sponsored by the company.
• Safe Harbor 401(K) with company match.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Employer-provided life insurance.
• Robust Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• On-site gym.
• Competitive salary, generous paid time off (PTO), and flexible leave options.

EEO Statement

Vanteon is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation

This position will have an annual salary, equity, and benefits. The salary range provided is a guideline rather than a fixed limit. Individual pay is determined by factors including geography, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

The pay range for this role is: 150,000 - 200,000 USD per year (ROC)

Due to contractual requirements, if hired you will be required to pass both a background and drug screening.