Senior FPGA Engineer

About Heads Up Technologies

At Heads Up Technologies, we’re redefining what’s possible in the air. Since our beginnings in a Dallas hangar in 1985, we’ve grown into a global leader in aviation technology driven by innovation, precision, and a relentless pursuit of better in-flight experiences. From pioneering digital audio and lighting systems to uniting with STG Aerospace and ALTO Aviation under one brand, we continue to lead the way in cabin systems integration for business and commercial aircraft. Join us as we shape the future of aviation where lighting, entertainment, safety, and audio come together to elevate every journey.

Our Company

We are a team of engineers, innovators, creators, and problem solvers who are passionate about building smarter solutions for the aviation industry.

Through the combined strengths of our specialized brands and capabilities, Heads Up Technologies brings together deep technical expertise, modern design thinking, and a collaborative approach to support customers across every stage of the product lifecycle.

Our Culture

At Heads Up Technologies, our culture is grounded in shared values that guide how we work and grow.

Integrity

We act with honesty, accountability, and respect in everything we do.

Teamwork

We collaborate across teams and disciplines to achieve the best outcomes.

Excellence

We are committed to delivering high-quality work and continuously improving.

Expertise

We leverage our knowledge and experience to solve complex challenges

Our Mission

To elevate the aviation experience by delivering intelligent, integrated solutions powered by exceptional people.

Why work with us?

Joining Heads Up Technologies means being part of a team that is shaping the future of aviation.

We offer an environment where employees are empowered to contribute, grow their careers, and make a direct impact on innovative products used across the globe. Whether you are developing technology or supporting business operations, your work here matters.

Benefits and Perks

At Heads Up Technologies, we are committed to supporting the health, well being, and financial security of our employees and their families. Eligible employees have access to a competitive benefits package designed to support life at work and beyond.

Benefits may include:

• Medical plan options through Blue Cross Blue Shield (Company Paid)
• Dental and vision coverage
• Health Savings Account option with company contribution, if eligible
• Company paid Basic Life and AD&D insurance
• Company paid Long Term Disability coverage
• Voluntary Short Term Disability, Accident, and Critical Illness insurance
• Employee Assistance and Wellness Support resources
• Virtual care access
• Benefit Resource Center support
• Paid time off and paid holidays

Benefit eligibility and coverage are based on employment status, plan documents, and company policy. Official plan documents govern all benefits.

About the role

This is a full-time position in our design engineering team, responsible for the FPGA design and development of both prototype and production units across the entire product portfolio from concept and detailed design through manufacturing release and support of Heads Up Technologies, Inc. products and systems.

You’ll be a hands-on designer who can also provide technical leadership on complex projects, collaborating closely with mechanical, software, and electrical engineering teams.

Key Details

• Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, with flexibility in how hours are structured (e.g., compressed 4x10 schedules considered based on team needs).
• Location: Based in our Addison, TX office, with a hybrid on-site presence - the exact cadence (e.g., 4 days on-site/1 remote) is discussed during the interview process and varies by role and team.
• Work Eligibility: Must possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

What you'll do

• Design and implement complex video/audio processing algorithms using VHDL targeting Xilinx devices.
• Implement video pipelines including up/down conversion (4K/UHD, HDR/SDR, scaling, color conversion) and audio processing (IEC 60958 LPCM and IEC 61937 Dolby/DTS, I2S TDM, AES67, DSP functions).
• Integrate high-speed interfaces (PCIe, DDR, Ethernet, HDMI).
• Support USB-based 4K video playback in an embedded cabin environment.
• Conduct simulation, verification, and laboratory debugging using logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and custom simulations.
• Collaborate with hardware and software teams on design partitioning and planning/implementation, board bring-up, timing closure, and performance optimization.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including software, hardware, and systems engineering to develop optimal architecture and develop FPGA requirements.
• Analyze and interpret hardware schematics to support integration- no board design required.
• Integrate IP from other FPGA designers and maintain code reuse standards and practices.
• Create thorough design documents, specifications, and interface definitions
• Contribute to existing projects with opportunities to lead new product development in the future.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) or equivalent.
• Eight (8) or more years of hands-on FPGA development experience.

• Proven expertise with Xilinx FPGAs and related toolchains (Vivado, etc.).
• Strong skills in creating concise and clear code in VHDL targeting Xilinx IP integration.
• Proficiency in high-speed digital design methods and best practices supporting multiple clock domains, AXI streaming and memory-mapped IP interfaces, coherent configuration and status across designs, and clean clock crossings.
• Familiarity with FPGA and processor system co-design (external and on-die hard/soft IP processor architectures). Zynq platform experience is strongly desired.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, fast-paced, hardware/software integrated environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience with video I/O standards and interfaces: HDMI, DisplayPort, DSI-2, GMSL, GigE; integration and customization of vendor/IP cores.
• Deep experience with video/audio pipelines, including real-time 4K signal processing and handling digital audio streams.
• Experience with video compression/decompression and/or audio resampling/manipulation techniques.
• Understanding of Linux environments, including scripting for FPGA development tools.
• Exposure to DevOps practices in software/firmware CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong cross-disciplinary collaboration skills-comfortable "wearing multiple hats."