FAST Lab – Entry Level FPGA Engineer (Fall 2026 hire)

BAE Systems is a defense, aerospace, and security company developing technologies for national security. The Entry-Level FPGA Engineer will contribute to the design, development, and verification of FPGA-based systems involving high-speed interfaces, signal processing algorithms, and embedded processor subsystems. The role participates in all phases of the FPGA development lifecycle, including architecture definition, RTL coding, simulation, synthesis, implementation, and testing.

What you'll do:

• You’ll work within a collaborative, cross-functional hardware team, contributing to the design, development, and verification of FPGA-based systems implementing high-speed interfaces, signal processing algorithms, and embedded processor sub-systems
• Under the guidance of experienced engineers, you will participate in all phases of the FPGA development lifecycle – from architecture definition and RTL coding to simulation, synthesis, implementation, and testing

What they're looking for:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field with 0 – 2 yrs experience
• Must be eligible to obtain a Secret Security Clearance
• **HDL Fundamentals:** Working knowledge of a Hardware Description Language (HDL) such as VHDL or Verilog
• **Digital Logic Design:** Solid understanding of digital logic design principles, including state machines, combinational and sequential logic
• **FPGA Architecture:** Familiarity with the fundamental architecture of FPGAs
• **Simulation & Verification Tools:** Familiarity with digital logic simulation tools
• **Programming Skills:** Familiarity in at least one programming language (e.g., C, C++, Python, MATLAB) for testbench development, embedded systems integration, or data analysis
• **Problem-Solving & Analytical Skills:** Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• **Communication & Teamwork:** Effective written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field, with a specialization in FPGA design or digital signal processing
• **FPGA Development Tools:** Experience with FPGA development tools from Xilinx (Vivado, ISE) or Intel (Quartus Prime)
• **High-Speed Interface Protocols:** Knowledge of high-speed serial communication protocols (e.g., PCIe, Ethernet)

Benefits:

• Tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees
• Flexible work environment
• Flexible work schedule, including every other Friday off
• Hybrid position, allowing you to balance on-site collaboration with remote work
• Health insurance for regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week
• Dental insurance for regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week
• Vision insurance for regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week
• Health savings accounts for regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week
• 401(k) savings plan for regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week
• Disability coverage for regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week