Level 3 Communications, Inc

Specialist, Electrical Engineer (FPGA)

Level 3 Communications, Inc$95K — $115K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 4+ years of professional FPGA/firmware engineering experience
  • Active security clearance (Secret or above)
  • Hands-on AMD Xilinx FPGA development experience using Vivado
  • Strong RTL design skills in VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog
  • Practical experience with routing/timing constraints (XDC)
  • Experience with simulation/verification workflows and scripting in Tcl/Python
  • Experience in Linux-based development environments and version control workflows
  • Strong lab debug and root-cause analysis skills
  • Effective communication skills in cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

  • Design, implement, and verify FPGA logic on AMD Xilinx devices
  • Create and maintain routing and timing constraints, resolving timing violations
  • Support board-level bring-up and debug with Vivado tools and lab equipment
  • Work across the full firmware lifecycle from requirements to release support
  • Collaborate in Agile teams and contribute to documentation and peer reviews.

Benefits

  • 9/80 work schedule promoting work-life balance
  • Opportunities for collaboration in cross-functional teams
  • Engagement in innovative projects within defense and aerospace sectors
  • Professional development opportunities in FPGA and firmware technologies
  • Possibility of contributing to mission-critical solutions.
Full Job Description
Job Title: Specialist, Electrical Engineer (FPGA)

Job Code: EE3

Job Location: Palm Bay, FL

Job Schedule: 9/80

Job Description: Seeking a mid-level FPGA engineer to support firmware development for embedded systems. The candidate will implement and integrate RTL designs on AMD Xilinx platforms, own features from requirements through verification and hardware bring-up, and collaborate closely with systems, software, and test teams.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Design, implement, and verify FPGA logic using VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog on AMD Xilinx devices (e.g., Zynq UltraScale+, Kintex, and Versal families).
  • Create and maintain routing and timing constraints (XDC), close timing across PVT corners, and resolve setup/hold violations with robust implementation strategies.
  • Support board-level bring-up and lab debug using Vivado tools (including ILA), oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers to isolate and resolve hardware/firmware integration issues.
  • Work across the full firmware lifecycle including requirements decomposition, architecture, RTL implementation, simulation, synthesis, implementation, and release support.
  • Collaborate in Agile teams, provide clear status/risk communication, and contribute to peer reviews, documentation, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications:
  • 4+ years of professional FPGA/firmware engineering experience.
  • Active secuirty clearance (Secret or above)
  • Hands-on AMD Xilinx FPGA development experience using Vivado (synthesis, implementation, timing analysis, and bitstream generation).
  • Strong RTL design skills in VHDL and/or Verilog/SystemVerilog.
  • Practical experience writing and debugging routing/timing constraints (XDC) and driving timing closure.
  • Experience with simulation and verification workflows plus scripting in Tcl and/or Python.
  • Experience in Linux-based development environments and version control workflows.
  • Ability to read schematics and collaborate with hardware and software teams during integration.
  • Strong lab debug and root-cause analysis skills for hardware/firmware issues.
  • Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in cross-functional engineering teams.

Preferred Skillsets:
  • Experience with high-speed interfaces and embedded processing subsystems on AMD Xilinx SoCs.
  • Familiarity with secure/reliable firmware design practices for mission-critical systems.
  • Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environments and automation.
  • Prior defense, aerospace, communications, or radar-domain experience.
  • Experience supporting production and sustainment firmware updates.

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