Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Quest Defense Systems & Solutions is seeking an FPGA / Hardware Team Lead to support the development of advanced instrumentation and control electronic systems for the nuclear power industry. This technical leadership role involves FPGA design, verification, and guiding a small engineering team in a safety-focused environment.
Responsibilities
- Support FPGA development, simulation, integration, and test activities for instrumentation and control electronic systems
- Develop, update, and review FPGA design documentation, including design specifications, test specifications, requirements, and traceability documentation
- Perform FPGA design and verification using languages and methodologies such as VHDL, SystemVerilog, and UVM
- Support simulation, debugging, root cause analysis, and resolution of FPGA design or verification issues
- Participate in FPGA design flow activities, including design implementation, simulation, synthesis, timing analysis, integration, and test support
- Support development and execution of informal and formal test campaigns for FPGA and hardware products
- Prepare, develop, and support engineering test fixtures, test tools, simulations, and related hardware/software used in the development of I&C electronic systems
- Provide technical leadership and day-to-day coordination for a team of FPGA, hardware, and test engineers
- Own sprint execution, task coordination, delivery commitments, and schedule visibility for assigned work
- Help translate program requirements and technical objectives into actionable engineering tasks
- Drive accountability, remove roadblocks, and support consistent progress across design, verification, integration, and test activities
- Guide and mentor engineers by providing technical direction, leveraging subject matter experts, and helping the team make sound engineering decisions
- Balance technical risk, program priorities, and resource needs to support on-time, high-quality delivery
- Serve as a day-to-day technical point of contact for program management, customers, and internal stakeholders
- Communicate progress, risks, blockers, and mitigation plans clearly and professionally
- Support technical interchange meetings, sprint reviews, design reviews, test readiness reviews, and milestone reviews
- Coordinate across FPGA, hardware, systems, software, and test organizations to ensure alignment across the full development lifecycle
- Review technical approaches, design decisions, verification plans, and test strategies with the engineering team
- Identify technical risk areas early and support mitigation planning with senior engineers and subject matter experts
- Ensure engineering work follows applicable QDSS processes, customer expectations, and quality standards
- Support integration planning, test readiness, troubleshooting, and issue resolution during key phases of development
- Foster a collaborative, high-performance team environment focused on technical quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
Skills
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
- 5+ years of experience in FPGA design, FPGA verification, digital hardware development, hardware testing, or related engineering work
- Minimum of 2+ years prior experience leading a small technical team, mentoring engineers, coordinating sprint execution, or managing technical task priorities
- Hands-on experience with FPGA design and verification using VHDL, SystemVerilog, UVM, or similar languages and methodologies
- Working knowledge of FPGA and hardware development lifecycles, including requirements, design, verification, validation, integration, and test documentation
- Ability to troubleshoot FPGA, hardware, or verification issues through simulation, lab integration, debugging, and root cause analysis
- Experience supporting formal or informal test campaigns for hardware, FPGA, or electronic systems
- Ability to provide technical guidance, coordinate engineering tasks, mentor team members, or lead technical workstreams
- Strong communication skills with the ability to work with program leadership, customers, stakeholders, and cross-functional engineering teams
- Experience working in a structured, regulated, safety-critical, mission-critical, or quality-driven engineering environment
- U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency is required
- Ability to travel approximately 10 to 15% during testing, integration, and key design phases as needed
- Experience in nuclear, energy, aerospace, defense, avionics, industrial controls, or another regulated engineering environment
- Experience with instrumentation and control electronic systems, real-time embedded hardware, safety-critical controls, or complex electronic systems
- Experience with FPGA development and simulation tools such as Quartus, Vivado, ModelSim, Questa, or similar tools
- Familiarity with scripting languages such as Python, Tcl, or similar tools used for automation, simulation, test, or workflow efficiency
- Experience supporting technical reviews, design reviews, test readiness reviews, milestone reviews, or customer-facing technical meetings
- Personnel management experience, including coaching, performance feedback, training plans, or employee development
- Experience in adoption and/or integration of emerging technologies (e.g., generative AI, automation platforms, digital assistants) into day-to-day operations for continuous improvement
Benefits
- Competitive pay
- Comprehensive medical/dental/life and disability coverage
- 401(k) with employer match
- Professional development support
- A flexible, friendly workplace
- Employer-matched 401(k)
- Certification assistance
- Clear opportunities for advancement
- A flexible, collaborative, and people-first environment where teamwork, innovation, and balance are valued
Company Overview