Capella Space stands at the forefront of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology and signal intelligence. We provide customers in governments, academia, and commercial sectors with reliable information that enables unparalleled understanding of the world. Our mission is centered on delivering timely and reliable Earth imagery, supporting diverse applications in defense & intelligence, disaster response, energy, environmental monitoring and more. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, Capella Space designs, manufactures and operates an advanced constellation of SAR imaging satellites. Our market-leading SAR satellites are complemented by an unmatched data infrastructure and automated ordering and delivery platform for fast, reliable insights where and when customers need it most.

Recognized for our technological prowess, Capella Space was honored as one of the 10 most innovative companies in Space in 2023 by FASTCOMPANY. Capella Space is an internationally trusted Earth Observation data provider, working closely with the U.S. Space Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, the Canadian Government and more to make unclassified, high-resolution SAR data more accessible.

What Makes Capella Unique?

Capella Space is a highly collaborative team environment, providing an opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the space industry, though no prior space experience is needed. We’re looking for people excited about tackling seemingly impossible challenges, learning new skills and concepts, and helping each other achieve success. Our mission and our products are meant to understand the whole world and help everyone in it - regardless of race, creed, or any other distinction. We encourage you to bring your unique perspective to help make us stronger, including applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech.

We are looking for a talented FPGA Design Engineer to develop FPGA designs and firmware for our spacecrafts as part of our experienced team. This role requires close collaboration with the spacecraft software engineering team to implement interfaces between the spacecraft flight computer and various subsystems, including storage, communication, and payload processor. This role will primarily focus on designs targeting Microchip FPGAs, with additional development on AMD/Xilinx FPGAs.

The successful candidate will have experience contributing to design, development, support, and test efforts to meet requirements and will be comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment. You will be involved in a variety of tasks including HDL development, hardware bring-up and testing, implementation of new features, and general upkeep of our current systems.

This is your chance to work with high-reliability and cutting-edge FPGAs and algorithms deployed in our operational and future satellites!

Role Responsibilities

· Develop FPGA designs for our next-generation flight computer

· Migrate existing FPGA designs to new devices

· Interface the fabric with the microcontroller subsystem

· Integrate 3rd party IP cores

· Communicate with many external devices using serial buses and protocols

· Maintain and improve continuous integration (CI) build environment

· Develop HDL test benches for unit and regression testing

· Write test software for the microcontroller subsystem

· Perform board bring-up and integration testing

· Develop HW prototypes

· Deploy designs into production and develop test procedures

· Collaboration across teams

Qualifications

· 2-3 years experience developing FPGA designs

· Experience writing HDL (SystemVerilog preferred)

· Knowledge of Microchip FPGAs (SoC preferred) and AXI protocol

· Experience with FPGA development tools (Libero preferred), timing closure techniques, and development procedures

· Knowledge of serial communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, and UART (CAN FD is a plus)

· Experience with FPGA simulations (ModelSim/QuestaSim preferred)

· Experience using git revision control software (CI/CD pipeline and Docker knowledge is a plus)

· Basic knowledge of low- and high-level software (C/C++; Python)

· Ability to work with both hardware and software engineers to meet the system requirements

· Ability to work with project managers to organize and plan the FPGA effort

· Comfortable using lab equipment

· Encryption knowledge is a plus

· Experience designing for space environments is a plus

· Experience with FuseSoC is a plus

Compensation

The annual salary range for this role as it is posted is $87,500 - $134,500. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education, qualification, knowledge, skills, ability, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity. Benefits listed in this posting may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Capella Space.

Benefits/Perks

In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

We provide extensive medical coverage, including strong vision and dental plans, flexible spending accounts, and additional supplemental health options.
Stock option grants for new hires
401K Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
Generous Parental Leave
Paid Flexible Time Off Policy
Lifestyle Spending Account
Commuter & Parking Benefits
Mental Health Resources
Monthly Phone Stipend
Daily provided lunches and stocked kitchens.
Furry friends? We’ve got you covered with dog-friendly work environment & them with pet insurance options

Equal Opportunity Statement

Capella Space is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring practices.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you need assistance or require an accommodation during the job application process, please notify recruiting@capellaspace.com

To learn more about us, explore our site: https://www.capellaspace.com/ and follow us on X and LinkedIn to see our SAR imagery!

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FPGA Engineer

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