Senior Hardware Development Engineer (Safety-Critical Computers)

Job Summary

Build the brain of a flying revolution. This is the ultimate challenge in embedded systems. We are seeking a world-class hardware architect and engineer to lead the development of the most critical component of our aircraft: its brain. You will be responsible for creating the high-integrity Flight Control Computer (FCC) and Mission Computer from the ground up. Your mission is to drive the architecture for our flight-critical computers and lead all aspects of their hardware and FPGA development. This role requires a deep, proven expertise in designing complex, high-reliability hardware and an unwavering mastery of the DO-254 certification process.

Responsibilities

• Architect High-Integrity Computers: Define the end-to-end hardware architecture for our flight-critical computers, specifying multicore processors, lockstep configurations, memory partitioning schemes, and redundancy management to meet DAL-A safety requirements.
• Lead Hardware Development: Drive the complete hardware development lifecycle, whether managing external vendors or leading in-house design teams. You will be the primary technical authority.
• Lead DO-254 Verification: Rigorously audit and verify all DO-254 artifacts and design processes. You will be our internal authority ensuring all hardware work is certifiable.
• Hands-on FPGA Development: Lead the development of complex logic in FPGAs (using VHDL/Verilog) for critical functions, including sensor interfaces, image processing pipelines, and high-speed data routing.
• Perform Critical Analysis: Conduct rigorous latency and timing analysis for all functions. Define and manage memory budgets and architectures (e.g., ECC, NVM).
• Define Systems Interface: Work with the systems team (ARP4754A) and software team (DO-178C) to ensure the hardware design correctly implements all safety requirements and provides a robust platform for the software (e.g., defining the BSP hardware requirements).
• Lead Verification & Validation: Develop and execute comprehensive hardware verification plans, including simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and formal verification methods to prove design correctness.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of direct, hands-on experience in the development of complex, safety-critical electronic hardware.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electronics, Electrical, or Computer Engineering.
• DO-254 Expertise: Non-negotiable, deep, practical experience taking a hardware product through the DO-254 DAL A or B certification process. You must have authored and managed the complete certification evidence package (e.g., PHAC, HAS).
• Safety-Critical Architecture: Proven experience designing high-reliability embedded computer architectures using multicore processors, lockstep configurations, and robust memory partitioning schemes.
• RTOS & Partitioning: Deep knowledge of ARINC 653 principles and their hardware-level implementation. Must understand how hardware design enables a partitioned RTOS environment.
• FPGA Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in VHDL or Verilog and extensive experience with modern FPGA/SoC toolchains (e.g., Xilinx Vivado, Intel Quartus).
• Systems & Software Interface: Strong, practical understanding of the ARP4754A systems engineering process and the critical DO-254 / DO-178C interface.
• BSP Knowledge: A solid understanding of the hardware components and documentation required to enable Board Support Package (BSP) development.
• Avionics & Mixed-Signal Design: Experience with standard avionics interfaces (e.g., ARINC 429, CAN, AFDX/Ethernet) and mixed-signal design (e.g., sensor signal conditioning, ADC/DAC).
• Best Practices: A firm grasp of best practices for safety-critical hardware design (e.g., dissimilarity, fault containment, double buffering, redundant clocking).

Preferred Qualifications

• Hardware Safety Assessment: Knowledge of hardware safety and reliability analysis (e.g., FMEA, FTA, Reliability Prediction (MTBF)).
• FPGA for Image Processing: Experience developing FPGAs specifically for image processing, computer vision, or sensor fusion applications.
• High-Speed PCB Design: Experience with schematic capture and reviewing high-speed, multi-layer PCB layouts for signal integrity and power integrity.
• Environmental Standards: Knowledge of environmental qualification testing according to DO-160.

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