Firmware Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Bespoke Solutions is looking for a hands-on technical leader to manage a team of Hardware Design Engineers, FPGA/Programmable Logic Engineers, and Firmware Engineers responsible for developing high-assurance security devices for government customers within AWS.
This is not a role for someone who manages from a distance. You will set the technical vision and architectural direction for next-generation hardware security platforms - making critical decisions on FPGA architectures, board-level design, and hardware-enforced security boundaries - and then build and lead the team that delivers it. Your success is measured by delivering certified, production-quality hardware that meets the most rigorous government security standards.
You will own the full hardware development lifecycle - from architecture and schematic design through prototype, validation, qualification, and production

You will lead a team of engineers defining what we build next, executing detailed design and prototyping, and ensuring our platforms meet stringent compliance, performance, and reliability requirements. You will connect hardware, FPGA, and firmware functions into a single cohesive organization that moves fast and delivers production-quality results.
You will work across organizational boundaries - with systems engineering, software, program management, and external government stakeholders to deeply understand requirements and translate them into hardware architecture decisions. When complex technical problems arise - across signal integrity, power integrity, FPGA timing closure, thermal management, or hardware security - you will have the technical depth to engage meaningfully and the judgment to drive the right trade-offs.
If Arlington, VA (Arlington HQ2):
This role will sit in our new headquarters in Northern Virginia, where Amazon will invest $2.5 billion dollars, occupy 4 million square feet of energy efficient office space, and create at least 25,000 new full-time jobs

Our employees and the neighboring community will also benefit from the associated investments from the Commonwealth including infrastructure updates, public transportation improvements, and new access to Reagan National Airport.
By working together on behalf of our customers, we are building the future one innovative product, service, and idea at a time. Are you ready to embrace the challenge. Come build the future with us.
This position requires that the candidate selected must be a US Citizen and currently possess and maintain an active TS/SCI security clearance

The position further requires that, after start, the selected candidate obtain and maintain an active TS/SCI security clearance with polygraph or commensurate clearance for each government agency for which they perform AWS work.
A day in the life
Vision & Architecture:
- Set the technical vision and multi-generational roadmap for hardware and FPGA development across the product family
- Make architectural decisions on FPGA platform selection, board design, and hardware-software partitioning that drive performance, security, and schedule
- Own trade studies for critical hardware decisions - evaluating options against thermal, form-factor, certification, and performance constraints
- Translate government security requirements and engineering specifications into actionable hardware architecture
Design, Build & Test:
- Own hardware and FPGA platform development from architecture through schematic design, PCB layout, prototype, and qualification
- Lead a team of engineers responsible for complex PCBA designs utilizing state-of-the-art FPGA SoCs
- Drive signal integrity, power integrity, and thermal analysis to ensure designs meet performance targets
- Establish and enforce DFx principles (Design for Test, Manufacturing, Cost, and Compliance)
- Lead design reviews and drive technical consensus across hardware, FPGA, firmware, and software teams
- Manage relationships with PCB fabrication and assembly partners, ensuring quality and schedule
- Drive hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing infrastructure and CI/CD for FPGA development
Team Leadership & Development:
- Manage and grow a diverse team spanning hardware design engineering, FPGA/programmable logic, and firmware
- Hire, develop, and retain top talent across multiple engineering disciplines
- Create an environment where engineers with fundamentally different expertise collaborate effectively and challenge each other
- Set clear goals, remove obstacles, and hold the team to high standards on delivery and quality
- Mentor and develop senior technical contributors - help them think bigger and grow toward principal-level impact
- Establish hardware engineering best practices, review standards, and development lifecycle processes
Cross-Organization Collaboration:
- Partner with systems engineering, software, and program management to ensure hardware platforms meet full-system requirements
- Work with government stakeholders and compliance teams to navigate certification and approval processes
- Coordinate with supply chain and manufacturing teams to deliver prototypes and production hardware on schedule
- Influence peer teams and senior leadership on technical direction, investment priorities, and trade-offs
- Represent your team's work and roadmap to Director-level and above
About the team
About AWS
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating - that's why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Why AWS?
Our team is dedicated to supporting new members. We have a broad mix of experience levels and tenures, and we're building an environment that celebrates knowledge-sharing and mentorship

Our senior members enjoy one-on-one mentoring and thorough, but kind, code reviews. We care about your career growth and strive to assign projects that help our team members develop your engineering expertise so you feel empowered to take on more complex tasks in the future.
AWS Infrastructure Services (AIS)
AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. In other words, we're the people who keep the cloud running

We support all AWS data centers and all of the servers, storage, networking, power, and cooling equipment that ensure our customers have continual access to the innovation they rely on. We work on the most challenging problems, with thousands of variables impacting the supply chain - and we're looking for talented people who want to help.
Diverse Experiences
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply

If your career is just starting, hasn't followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don't let it stop you from applying.
Inclusive Team Culture
AWS values curiosity and connection. Our employee-led and company-sponsored affinity groups promote inclusion and empower our people to take pride in what makes us unique. Our inclusion events foster stronger, more collaborative teams

Our continual innovation is fueled by the bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and passionate voices our teams bring to everything we do.
Mentorship & Career Growth
We're continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth's Best Employer. That's why you'll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture

When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there's nothing we can't achieve in the cloud.