FPGA Software Engineer

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.

About the Role

FPGA/RTL Engineer

We're looking for an experienced FPGA/RTL engineer to help build our state-of-the-art optical communication system — the hard-real-time logic that connects optical communication terminals to embedded computers. You'll work closely with our

optical communication team to design and own HDL for optical-link interfaces and high-speed data pipelines for in-orbit and ground communications. This is active development on a live flight program with near-term launch milestones: you'll join a small team, take full ownership of workstreams from day one, and see your designs fly.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and verify HDL/RTL in SystemVerilog/Verilog for the FPGA subsystems of our state-of-the-art optical communication system, from architecture through on-orbit operation

• Partner directly with the optical communication team to design and implement FPGA logic for free-space optical communication links, including modem interfacing, framing/synchronization, and high-throughput data pipelines

• Develop high-throughput communication pipelines for moving compute and optical-link data from orbit to the ground, including high-speed Ethernet (10/25/40/100GbE) MAC/PCS logic, SERDES/transceiver configuration, and link-layer framing within the FPGA fabric

• Build memory-mapped register interfaces (AXI) between FPGA logic and onboard flight software, and define the hardware/software contract with flight software engineers

• Own timing closure, synthesis, and implementation across Zynq UltraScale+ and Versal targets using Vivado and related toolchains

• Develop testbenches and simulation environments to verify designs before hardware, and validate on the bench with logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and protocol analyzers

• Lead board bring-up and hardware integration for new payload avionics, working closely with electrical and embedded software engineers

• Investigate anomalies spanning the optical-link-to-ground and software chain, perform root cause analysis, and drive fixes across hardware/firmware/software boundaries

• Document designs and interfaces, and pair with teammates to spread ownership of the FPGA function across the team

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field

• 5+ years of experience in FPGA/HDL design, including architecture, verification, synthesis, and timing closure

• Proficiency in SystemVerilog or Verilog for production FPGA development

• Hands-on experience with Xilinx/AMD FPGA platforms (e.g., Zynq, Zynq UltraScale+) and toolchains (Vivado, Vitis)

• Experience designing high-speed digital interfaces and DDR/DMA-based datapaths

• Experience integrating FPGA logic with embedded software, including memory-mapped register interfaces and driver-level debugging

• Experience developing FPGA platforms for multi-gigabit data pipelines, including integrating forward error correction and other stabilization techniques — optical communication or high-speed Ethernet experience strongly preferred

• Hands-on hardware bring-up and lab debugging experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and embedded debug tools

• Demonstrated ability to own open-ended design problems independently and carry them from architecture through hardware and on-orbit operation

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline

• Experience in aerospace, defense, semiconductor, or other high-reliability development

• Experience with free-space or fiber optical communication systems — optical communication terminals, coherent/direct-detection modems, or high-speed optical transceivers

• Experience implementing Ethernet or other high-speed serial protocol layers (MAC/PCS/PMA) directly in FPGA fabric — a big plus

• Understanding of network topology and architecture (routing, switching, protocol stacks) — a bonus

• Familiarity with Versal ACAP architecture and Quartus toolflows

• Experience with simulation and verification tools such as Questa/ModelSim, Xcelium, or Verilator, and with UVM or other structured verification methodologies

• Proficiency with C/C++, Python, and TCL for bring-up, test automation, and tooling

• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing and automated regression of FPGA designs

• Familiarity with fault-tolerant design and radiation effects mitigation (SEU scrubbing, TMR, configuration memory integrity) for space applications

• Experience thriving in fast-paced, high-ownership environments with rapid iteration cycles

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $150,000 – $200,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Paid time off

• 10 paid holidays per calendar year

• Paid parental leave

• Relocation assistance if applicable

• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITARhere.

Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.

Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.