Prototype Hardware Firmware Design Engineer Jobs

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

As a Hardware Engineer, you will help build advanced digital processing systems, high-speed digital boards, and FPGA-based subsystems. These components serve space-based and critical communication platforms.  
You will serve as a key technical contributor, bridging the hardware-firmware boundary by owning the hardware lifecycle of complex board builds. This includes high-speed digital circuit development, SoC integration, and mixed-signal circuit crafting with high-resolution ADC/DAC interfaces. At the same time, you will develop, simulate, and implement high-speed signal-processing algorithms and network protocols in FPGAs.
Your responsibility will span the entire product development lifecycle from early conceptual requirements, block diagrams, and synthesizable RTL development (SystemVerilog/VHDL), through hardware-firmware co-design, board-level bring-up, and laboratory integration, all the way to worst-case analysis (WCA), power/signal integrity verification, and flight qualification in a rigorous space and flight environment.

The day-to-day

• Build and implement high-speed digital boards, including crafting detailed circuit diagrams and layout guidelines.  
• Develop, simulate, and verify FPGA RTL (using SystemVerilog, Verilog, or VHDL) for control, data processing, and communication functions.
• Integrate and deploy firmware onto FPGA and FPGA SoC platforms.
• Design high-speed interfaces (DDR4, SERDES, UART, I2C, SPI, LVDS) and perform signal/power integrity simulations using HyperLynx.
• Conduct worst-case analysis (WCA) to verify electrical design margins across space environment conditions.
• Lead laboratory board bring-up, hardware/firmware integration, and debug using logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and spectrum analyzers.
• Apply flight hardware and firmware design practices, working within radiation-tolerant, high-reliability component and thermal constraints.
• Author and maintain comprehensive design documentation, including schematics, block diagrams, testbenches, and interface control documents.

What you'll need

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.  
• 4+ years of combined experience in high-speed digital board design and FPGA/RTL development.
• Proficiency in writing synthesizable RTL in SystemVerilog, Verilog, or VHDL.
• Hands-on experience with FPGA design suites and EDA tools (e.g., AMD/Xilinx Vivado, Intel/Altera Quartus, Synopsys/Synplify).
• Hands-on experience with tools to build captures (e.g., Mentor Xpedition, Cadence, or Altium).  
• Strong laboratory debugging skills integrating firmware onto physical target boards.
• US citizenship.
• Ability to travel up to 10%.

What will help you on the job

• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE).
• Experience with space-grade FPGAs (Xilinx Radiation Tolerant, Microchip RTG4, or equivalent).
• Experience with FPGA simulation and testbench development (ModelSim, Questa, etc.).
• Familiarity with scripting languages (Python, TCL, or Perl) for automation.
• Experience with EEE-INST-002, NASA, or ESA parts selection, screening, and derating guidelines.
• Familiarity with radiation effects on electronics (TID, SEE, SEL).
• Familiarity with Git, CI/CD practices, and AI development tools (Claude Code, Copilot).

Salary range
$132,500.00 - $209,500.00 / annually.For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $164,500.00- $246,500.00/ annually
At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat's comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.
EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.  
• 4+ years of combined experience in high-speed digital board design and FPGA/RTL development.
• Proficiency in writing synthesizable RTL in SystemVerilog, Verilog, or VHDL.
• Hands-on experience with FPGA design suites and EDA tools (e.g., AMD/Xilinx Vivado, Intel/Altera Quartus, Synopsys/Synplify).
• Hands-on experience with tools to build captures (e.g., Mentor Xpedition, Cadence, or Altium).  
• Strong laboratory debugging skills integrating firmware onto physical target boards.
• US citizenship.
• Ability to travel up to 10%.

Education:UNAVAILABLEEmployment Type: FULL_TIME