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David Careers

Principal Electrical Engineer, FPGA Development

Posted today

true anomalyLong Beach (CA)
Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerSpace Research and Technology

SENIORITY

Lead

SALARY

$175,000 - $265,000 per year

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About the role

Principal Fpg Developer Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it. True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors — enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.
Our values: Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity. What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results. It's the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.
Benefits & perks:
  • Best-in-class healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, with HSA/HRA options
  • Generous time off: Flexible Time Off (FTO) for exempt employees, accrued PTO of up to 25 days for non-exempt employees, plus 12 paid holidays; Parental Leave; Sick LeaveFuel for your day: Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks for in-office employees
  • And more: 401(k) retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, and Dog Fridays
Equity participation: Equity is included as part of our total compensation package, giving you an opportunity to share in the company's success.
Your mission: True Anomaly is seeking an exceptional Principal Fpg Developer to serve as the cross-team technical authority for reconfigurable logic architecture across our spacecraft avionics and payload systems. You will define the common frameworks, digital interface standards, and verification methodologies the entire engineering organization builds upon — and lead the development of a real-time Fpg-based image processing pipeline for on-orbit spacecraft detection, identification, and tracking. You architect solutions that span teams, codify durable patterns, and drive program-level outcomes with calm precision.
Responsibilities:
  • Define and own reconfigurable logic architectures across avionics and payload systems, ensuring common frameworks and IP reuse
  • Lead the design and development of a real-time Fpg-based image processing pipeline for on-orbit spacecraft detection and tracking from payload camera and Rpo sensor inputs
  • Establish digital interface standards, Fpg reliability standards, and component qualification strategy across programs
  • Own the Fpg verification methodology across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring reuse and integration with system-level test
  • Design and implement high-speed Ethernet interfaces, including Mac/Phy integration, Layer 2 switch development, and high-throughput data path design
  • Optimize avionics architecture at the system level, informing trade studies across performance, cost, reliability, and schedule
  • Run multi-stream Fpg development efforts, coordinating delivery and holding accountability for program-level outcomes
  • Coach engineers across teams, codify best practices, and build reusable, scalable design patterns
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred)8+ years of professional Fpg design experience, with demonstrated staff or principal engineer-level contributions
  • Deep expertise in Vhdl and/or Verilog, Fpg synthesis flows, and multi-clock domain design
  • Demonstrated experience designing real-time image processing pipelines in Fpg fabric
  • Experience designing high-speed Ethernet interfaces including Mac/Phy integration and Layer 2 Ethernet switch development
  • Proven ability to architect cross-team solutions, manage ambiguity, and drive program-level delivery
Preferred skills and experience:
  • Experience with space-qualified or radiation-hardened Fpg families (PolarFire, ProAsic3, SmartFusion2, etc.)Experience with computer vision algorithms in Fpg fabric (object detection, centroiding, correlation-based tracking)
  • Familiarity with SpaceWire, Pcie, and embedded bus protocols (Spi, I2c, Uart)
  • Exposure to C, C++, or Python for firmware integration and test automation
  • Experience working in a fast-paced, startup environment or a similarly dynamic setting
Compensation: Base salary: $175,000-$265,000 Equity + benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, Hra/Hsa options, Pto and paid holidays, 401K, Parental LeaveYour actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.
Additional requirements:
  • Ability to maintain or obtain Ts// Sci clearance
  • Work location—this role will be onsite at our Long Beach, Ca location, with travel to other sites as needed.
  • Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
  • Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

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