{"id":652156,"url":"https://alion.io/job/k2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer","title":"Senior FPGA Prototyping Engineer","company":{"id":171840,"name":"K2 Space","domain":"k2space.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/k2-space","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":85,"open_postings":199,"ghost_share":0.166,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":86,"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Seattle, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":120000,"max":225000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":225000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"SystemVerilog","optional":false},{"name":"Verilog","optional":false},{"name":"RTOS","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-11T20:25:39Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-11","last_verified_at":"2026-10-21T20:44:17Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":71,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":70},"description":"K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by over $1 billion in total funding from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, ICONIQ, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, and T. Rowe Price - and with over $1 billion in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers, we're mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space.\nThe rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today's and tomorrow's massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.\nWith multiple launches in 2027 and plans to scale to 100 satellites a year, we're Building Bigger - helping develop the solar system and build toward a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and you're excited about contributing to the success of a high-growth Series D-funded company, we'd love for you to apply.\nThe Role\nWe are seeking a Senior FPGA & Silicon Bring-up Engineer to accelerate the development of next-generation communications ASICs. You will own FPGA prototyping, firmware enablement, first-silicon bring-up, and hardware validation, serving as the bridge between ASIC design, firmware, software, and system integration. This role spans the entire silicon lifecycle from pre-silicon FPGA platforms that enable early hardware/software integration to post-silicon debug, interface validation, and automated test infrastructure.\nResponsibilities\nDevelop FPGA-based prototypes to enable early ASIC integration, firmware development, and system validation.\nBuild hardware platforms that allow software and firmware teams to develop before first silicon.\nSupport first-silicon bring-up, debug, and functional validation.\nDevelop automated validation infrastructure for silicon characterization and regression testing.\nConfigure and validate digital interfaces including high-speed Ethernet SerDes, SPI, UART, GPIO, and other peripheral interfaces.\nDevelop FPGA-based traffic generators, protocol checkers, and test applications for interface validation.\nDebug issues spanning RTL, firmware, software, FPGA prototypes, and silicon using simulation and laboratory instrumentation.\nCollaborate closely with ASIC Design, Verification, Firmware, Software, Systems, and DFT teams to accelerate product development.\nQualifications\nBS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.\n5+ years of FPGA development experience using Verilog/SystemVerilog and AMD/Xilinx FPGA tools.\nStrong understanding of ASIC development and digital system architecture.\nExperience with FPGA prototyping for ASIC development.\nExperience with firmware/software enablement and hardware bring-up.\nStrong hardware debugging skills using JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.\nProficiency with Python and scripting for automation and test infrastructure.\nNice to Have\nExperience with networking, communications, or satellite systems.\nExperience with embedded processors (ARM or RISC-V).\nExperience working with hard real-time embedded systems (bare-metal or RTOS).\nExperience validating high-speed digital interfaces, including Ethernet and SerDes protocols, SPI, and UART.\nExperience with silicon bring-up using JTAG, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.\nCompensation and Benefits:\nBase salary range for this role is $120,000 - $225,000 + equity in the company\nSalary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level\nComprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision/ coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks\nIf you don’t meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply! Building a spacecraft unlike any other requires a team unlike any other and non-traditional career twists and turns are encouraged!\nIf you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.\nExport Compliance\nAs defined in the ITAR, “U.S. Persons” include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders), and certain protected individuals (e.g., refugees/asylees, American Samoans). Please consult with a knowledgeable advisor if you are unsure whether you are a “U.S. Person.”\nThe person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations, including the export control regulations outlined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). The person hired for this role must therefore either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.\nEqual Opportunity\nK2 Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with K2 Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5559,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Life insurance","Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace","Satellite Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-10T20:35:41Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":52,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.865,"p_room":0.6,"age_days":70,"expected_fill_days":86,"reasons":["conf:0","velocity","win:late","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":225000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/k2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/k2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-21T21:43:47Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":30938,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":171840},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=171840"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fk2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fk2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fk2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/k2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fk2-space-senior-fpga-prototyping-engineer"}]}