Sr Advanced FPGA / Firmware Engineer (Contract)

Middletown, RI (or Canonsburg, PA)
Pay Rate: $75-$85/hourly
Onsite | Advanced Defense Torpedo Systems | High-Level Firmware & FPGA Development

About the Role

This position supports advanced torpedo systems development, working directly with engineering teams to design, deliver, and maintain FPGA and firmware solutions for mission-critical defense applications.

In this role, you will also act as an onsite engineering representative supporting system deployment, troubleshooting, and corrective actions when new products are delivered to the customer environment. This is a highly technical, hands-on role spanning FPGA design, firmware development, system integration, and field support.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, verify, and document FPGA-based solutions
• Participate in architecture development, system simulation, and detailed design activities
• Define module interfaces and complete device-level design and simulation
• Execute FPGA development flow including:
  • High-level design
  • Synthesis
  • Place and route
  • Timing and power optimization
• Verify test results and analyze system performance
• Present technical findings, design decisions, and results to:
  • Internal engineering teams
  • Program leadership
  • Customer stakeholders
• Support onsite installation, troubleshooting, and corrective actions for delivered systems
• Contribute to continuous improvement of FPGA engineering processes
• Develop engineering products using established standards, tools, and lifecycle processes
• Support Linux-based development environments and embedded firmware systems

Firmware & Software Responsibilities

• C programming for embedded systems
• Multithreaded software development
• Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) integration and support
• Source control management using Git or similar tools

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in:
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Related STEM discipline
• 8+ years of relevant experience (or Master’s + 6 years)
• Strong FPGA development experience in complex systems
• Experience working across hardware/firmware integration environments
• Strong troubleshooting skills using lab equipment:
  • Oscilloscopes
  • Digital multimeters
  • Power supplies
  • Signal/function generators
• Experience working in Linux environments
• Strong understanding of embedded systems and real-time software

Highly Desired Skills

• Advanced FPGA architecture and design expertise
• Experience with hardware/software co-design
• Strong understanding of system-level integration and debugging
• Deep knowledge of engineering lifecycle processes
• Experience collaborating directly with customers or field deployments
• Strong communication skills for technical and customer-facing interactions
• Ability to solve complex, ambiguous engineering problems using structured and creative approaches

Additional Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Security Clearance
• Strong onsite presence required
• Must be comfortable supporting both development lab and field deployment environments

Why Join CPI

• Work on highly advanced defense systems with real-world operational impact
• Direct involvement in cutting-edge FPGA and embedded systems development
• Opportunity to support both engineering design and field deployment activities
• Exposure to full lifecycle development: architecture → design → test → deployment
• High-level technical environment with experienced cross-functional engineering teams
• Strong career growth in FPGA, embedded systems, and defense electronics domains
• Hands-on work with mission-critical systems supporting national defense programs

US CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT: