FPGA/ Firmware Engineer (R&D)

FPGA/ Firmware Engineer (R&D) at NLR

Are you looking for a challenging career as a FPGA/RTL/firmware engineer in the aerospace industry? Apply for this position and dive into the world of avionics systems for space, aviation and wind tunnel instrumentation. We are looking for a passionate FPGA Design Engineer to strengthen our existing team of talented engineers. The first challenges on your list will be the design and verification of electronics for Free Space Optical Satellite Communication.

What will you do?

As an FPGA Engineer, you will work at the heart of our high-end products, including data acquisition & processing systems and optical communication modems. You will be involved in the full firmware lifecycle—from requirements, architecture design, detailed design & implementation to integration, verification and qualification. You will collaborate closely with other disciplines such as embedded software, hardware design and system engineers. Your work days are never the same and your impact will be felt from specification to final deliverable.

Your responsibilities:

• Design firmware requirements and (micro-) architecture and define interfaces
• Functional decomposition analysis and mapping the architecture down to FPGA
• Implement and simulate VHDL/RTL code
• Integrate and test firmware on the hardware
• Verification and Hardware-In-Loop of the design
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams
• Document your design, simulations, and test results

What you bring:

• A degree in Electronics, Embedded, DSP or a related field (Masters)
• At least 2 years of hands-on experience in FPGA development
• Strong knowledge of VHDL, synthesis tools and timing verification
• Experience with HDL testing frameworks like Vunit and/or Cocotb is a plus
• Hands-on experience with lab test equipment for hardware validation is advantageous
• Familiarity with high-speed digital interfaces is a bonus
• Knowledge of Tcl, CI/CD for FPGA is a plus
• Affinity with the (aero)space industry is welcomed
• A proactive, problem solving and hands-on team player mindset, but be able to work independently
• Strong communication skills in English and Dutch, both written and spoken

What we offer:

Working at NLR means working in a national and international high-tech environment. Cooperation and commitment are very important to us. By giving you freedom and your own responsibility, you are best able to come up with groundbreaking innovations. Do you want to develop yourself professionally and personally or perhaps to be promoted? This is also possible with NLR as a learning organization, which also has a training budget, a mentor, internal coaches and good contacts with universities, colleges and universities.

In addition to all this, we offer you:

• A chance to work on cutting-edge technology and aerospace applications
• A dynamic work environment in a department with motivated colleagues
• Challenging projects that will elevate your technical and project skills
• Personal growth and professional development opportunity
• Excellent secondary benefits
• No less than 45 days off (with full-time employment) so that you can fully enjoy your free time in addition to your challenging job
• Depending on your position, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home

Your new working environment?

Your new colleagues are engaged in the development and delivery of high-quality and innovative avionics systems for civil and military aerospace platforms. The products and services are characterized by their applications in innovative and specialized research and testing programs. We develop and innovate with a strong focus on the usability and feasibility of our solutions and technologies.

For over 100 years, Royal NLR has been a knowledge organization with the will and ambition to innovate. With this drive, we are making the world of aviation and space safer, more sustainable, more efficient and effective and pioneering innovations. We employ more than 950 dedicated professionals, ranging from aircraft engineers to psychologists and from mathematicians to application engineers. NLR stands for an inclusive and diverse organization where everyone feels welcome, safe, valued and respected.

For this position, an integrity test and the acquisition of a ‘certificate of no objection’ (VGB) are prerequisites for entry. More information on the VGB is available on the website of the Ministry of Justice.