FPGA Board Design Engineer

Project

Work done for a product or program.

• Design the configuration subsystem including flash, JTAG chain, multiboot, encryption key provisioning and fallback image handling.
• Bring up FPGA boards with the logic team using vendor debug cores, eye-scan, hardware managers and on-die monitors.
• Maintain constraint files, pin-assignment spreadsheets and board-support documentation shared with FPGA logic developers.
• Support prototyping and emulation platforms by partitioning designs across FPGA devices and connecting them with interconnect cables or backplanes.

Function

Work that keeps the discipline running: methods, tools, suppliers and people.

• Allocate FPGA I/O banks and pins against voltage standards, transceiver quads, clock-capable pins and memory controller placement rules.
• Design the FPGA power solution to vendor guidelines including core, transceiver, and auxiliary rails with sequencing, ramp rate and noise limits.
• Design DDR4, DDR5 or HBM interface boards to vendor layout rules and validate margins with the vendor memory IP calibration reports.
• Route and validate high-speed transceiver channels including reference clock quality, AC coupling, jitter budget and FMC or FMC+ site compliance.
• Run vendor power estimation and thermal tools to size the regulator and cooling solution for the target logic and transceiver utilisation.
• Validate board-level interfaces by running the vendor's IP example designs and interpreting margin and calibration telemetry.

Project

1. Produce and hand over the role's key deliverables
   • FPGA pin assignment and I/O bank allocation spreadsheet
   • FPGA board schematic with power, clocking and configuration design
   • Power estimation and thermal sizing report from vendor tools
   • Transceiver channel validation and eye-scan results
   • Board support documentation and constraint file set for logic developers
2. Design the blockGeneral
   • Write or capture the design to the specification
   • Run lint, simulation or circuit checks
   • Close design reviews and their actions
3. Support integration and sign-offGeneral
   • Fix bugs found by verification
   • Support timing and physical closure
   • Deliver handoff files and documentation

Function

1. Keep design methods currentGeneral
   • Maintain coding and design standards
   • Build and maintain reusable blocks
2. Develop peopleGeneral
   • Mentor newer engineers
   • Run design reviews and knowledge sharing sessions