SENIOR FPGA DESIGN ENGINEER SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND JOB REQUIREMENTS

Published: Mar 27, 2025 – The Senior FPGA Design Engineer has extensive experience in FPGA design, including synthesis, partitioning, place and route using Xilinx Vivado HLx and Intel FPGA Quartus Prime. This role requires strong knowledge of multi-gigabit interface protocols, memory technologies, interconnect protocols, and digital signal processing techniques such as CFR, DPD, and digital filters. The senior engineer also has proficiency in scripting and programming languages, system simulation, FPGA/ARM systemization, and hardware verification with expertise in laboratory measurements and Agile project management.

Essential Hard and Soft Skills for a Standout Senior FPGA Design Engineer Resume
  • FPGA design
  • Synthesis and Place & Route
  • Digital Signal Processing
  • Multi-gigabit Interface Protocols
  • Memory Technologies
  • Interconnect Protocols
  • Hardware Verification and Timing Closure
  • System Simulation
  • Programming
  • Laboratory Measurements
  • Problem-Solving
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Attention to Detail
  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Adaptability
  • Time Management
  • Critical Thinking
  • Leadership
  • Project Management

Summary of Senior FPGA Design Engineer Knowledge and Qualifications on Resume

1. BS in Digital Systems Engineering with 5 years of Experience

  • Professional experience in FPGA development
  • Background in digital design (SOC), FPGA design methodologies
  • Proven experience in Register Transfer Level (RTL) coding (Verilog, VHDL)
  • Knowledge and proven record of using standard simulation tools for digital designs
  • Experience with Vendors’ Development toolchains and environments
  • Basic knowledge of UNIX or Linux environment and using programming languages
  • Technical communication and problem-solving skills
  • Systematic and solution-oriented working style
  • Creative and innovative personality
  • Solid English language skills
  • Must be willing to work in a multi-tasking, fast-paced, team-oriented working environment

2. BS in Telecommunications Engineering with 6 years of Experience

  • Experience doing modern HDL design (VHDL/SystemVerilog)
  • Positive experience working within a collaborative, distributed team environment
  • Solid understanding of FPGA synthesis tools (Vivado/Quartus) and details such as pin planning, clock crossing, and timing closure
  • Solid understanding of hardware testing and debugging techniques
  • Knowledgeable in the different resources and primitives available in the target FPGA technology
  • Understand complexity analysis for trades in the algorithm area and performance
  • Highly skilled in using and implementing low-level protocols such as AXI4, AXI4-streaming, SPI, etc.
  • Understand how/when to use vendor-provided IP cores
  • Experience working with GIT
  • Good written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate complex algorithms and methods both verbally and in documentation
  • Strong problem-solving skills, strong mathematical background, and analytical skills.
  • Flexible to dynamic environments and fast-changing technologies.

3. BS in Electronics Engineering with 7 years of Experience

  • HDL simulation/verification experience targeting SystemVerilog, familiarity with industry-standard HDL simulation tools
  • Knowledgeable in various modern high-level synthesis (HLS) techniques, and understands the trade-offs associated with using HLS in a complex team project
  • Working knowledge of MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or C++
  • Experience developing HDL-based Ethernet networking algorithms
  • Knowledge of signal processing, optical communications, or forward-error correction algorithms
  • Understanding of hardware-software interfaces
  • Understanding of and experience using test-driven development (TDD)
  • Previous experience in the aerospace or defense industries
  • Experience preparing and executing integration test procedures and supporting integration into a larger system architecture
  • Understanding of quality assurance methodologies and best practices for high-reliability systems for space-flight applications
  • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills
  • Must be pragmatic and self-motivated to complete a task even if it is outside of just the “well-known” realm

4. BS in Computer Engineering with 8 years of Experience

  • High-end FPGA development experience
  • Proficiency in Verilog, SystemVerilog, and VHDL
  • Strong background in Xilinx FPGA and/or Altera/Intel FPGA design flow - Quartus, Vivado tool, TCL scripting, timing closure backend, Signaltap, and Chipsope debug.
  • Familiar with the testbench environment and verification tools such as Modelsim, and Questa.
  • Experience with high-speed network protocols (QSFP+, USB, ETH), SERDES interfaces (Aurora, JESD204B, 10G/25G GbE), bus interfaces (AXI, Avalon, PCIe), and memories (DDR, QDR)
  • Experience with lab bring-up procedure, lab equipment, and troubleshooting
  • Knowledge of Telecommunication
  • Knowledge of power optimization techniques and design trade-offs for FPGA-based systems.
  • Experience with hardware security design, including encryption algorithms and secure boot.
  • Familiarity with version control systems like Git and project management tools like Jira for collaboration.
  • Experience with embedded systems and integration of FPGA with ARM-based processors or custom SoCs.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting technical concepts to both engineering teams and non-technical stakeholders.

5. BS in Electrical Engineering with 10 years of Experience

  • Working experience in FPGA design
  • Knowledge of O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network or Open RAN) and C-RAN (Centralized RAN or Cloud RAN)
  • Strong knowledge of FPGA tool flows, Synthesis, Partitioning, Place and Route - Xilinx Vivado HLx and Intel FPGA Quartus Prime Standard/Pro Edition
  • Knowledge of multi-gigabit interface protocols (Ethernet, SGMII, RGMII), memory technologies (DDR3, DDR4), interconnect protocols (PCIe), digital logics, and common communication interfaces (UART, USB, SPI, I2C)
  • Skilled in digital frontend design (DSP, CFR, DPD, Up and Down Converters, Digital Filters)
  • Familiarity with logic synthesis, verification, timing closure, and physical design principles
  • Knowledge of Electronic Circuit and System Design Fundamentals, including analog, digital, and power
  • Working knowledge of FPGA/ARM and IP Cores systemization
  • Understanding of Circuit and System Simulation (MATLAB, PSpice) Competence
  • Proficient with scripting languages such as Tcl or Python, and programming languages such as C/C++, including low-level programming (firmware) of complex computer systems and mixing HDL with C/C++ for simulation purposes
  • Knowledge of SystemC (IEEE 1666-2011), UVM (IEEE 1800.2-2017), and/or SystemC-AMS (IEEE 1666.1-2016)
  • Detailed Knowledge of laboratory measurements using equipment such as an Oscilloscope, a Signal Generator, Signal Analyzer
  • Familiar with Agile Project Management
  • Must have experience with tools such as SVN, Git, and familiarity with 1588 and SyncE standards
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