Job Title: Senior FPGA Architect Location: North Reading, MA Duration: 12 month contract Payrate: $75 to $120 per hour
Job Description: We are seeking a Senior FPGA Architect to play a key role in architecting and delivering high-performance FPGA-based solutions at the heart of our test platforms. This role involves working at the intersection of FPGA design, board-level hardware, and system architecture—solving complex problems involving high-speed interfaces, tight timing margins, and system-level constraints. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and deliver robust, scalable solutions that directly impact the quality and performance of cutting-edge semiconductor devices.
Responsibilities
Drive FPGA design from architecture through implementation and bring-up, including requirements definition and trade-off analysis
Architect and implement high-performance FPGA solutions involving complex interfaces and subsystem integration
Partner closely with hardware, software, and system engineering teams to deliver cohesive system-level solutions
Lead timing closure, resource optimization, and performance tuning for advanced FPGA designs
Define and execute validation strategies, including lab bring-up, debug, and root cause analysis using JTAG and lab instrumentation
Contribute to PCB and system design decisions impacting FPGA performance and integration
Develop automation and debug tools using scripting (TCL, Python) to improve design and validation workflows
Must-Have
8+ years of hands-on experience in FPGA design and development
Deep expertise in Verilog/SystemVerilog for design and debugging
Proven experience with AMD (Xilinx) and/or Client FPGA toolchains, including synthesis, implementation, and timing closure
Strong understanding of digital design fundamentals and ability to interpret schematics
Experience with high-speed interfaces such as PCIe, DDR, SerDes, or similar
Demonstrated ability to bring up and debug FPGA designs on hardware platforms
Experience with protocols such as AXI4, USB, I2C, SPI
Scripting proficiency (TCL, Python) for automation and tooling
Experience with version control systems and collaborative development workflows
Experience with SystemVerilog-based verification methodologies (UVM or similar)
Familiarity with FPGA SoCs and embedded processor subsystems
Strong system-level thinking and ability to debug across FPGA, board, and software boundaries
Ability to balance architectural decisions with implementation constraints