Tesla

Makes electric cars, robotaxis and grid batteries

FPGA Engineer - Vehicle Software

Silicon & ASIC DesignUpdated on Nov 13

Full-timePalo Alto, CA, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience is required.
Proficiency in RTL design using VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog is required.
Experience with Xilinx FPGA toolchains, including Vivado synthesis, implementation, and debug, is required.
Strong working knowledge of SPI, I2C, CAN, SENT, and LIN communication protocols is required.
Ability to read schematics and debug at the hardware/firmware boundary is required.
Verbal and written communication skills are required to coordinate with the team.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and verify RTL using Verilog or SystemVerilog for Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ SOM platforms.
Develop FPGA-based peripheral emulation cores for automotive protocols, including SPI, I2C, CAN, SENT, and LIN.
Build stimulus-generation and output-capture logic to exercise and observe real processors under test.
Integrate FPGA emulation boards into the PIL rack cluster, supporting processor targets used across Vehicle Software.
Collaborate with hardware teams designing the physical boards being emulated and the emulation hardware, and with firmware teams writing the code under test.
Bring up, debug, and characterize FPGA designs on hardware using Vivado, ILA, and bench instrumentation.

Desired Qualifications

Experience developing real-time mathematical models of physical systems, such as motor dynamics, power-stage behavior, or thermal models, for hardware emulation or HIL applications.
Familiarity with processor-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, or similar test methodologies.
Familiarity with Python test frameworks and the ability to read and understand embedded C firmware code.

Category	Vehicle Software
Location	PALO ALTO, California
Requisition ID	274599
Type	Full-time

Job Description

<div class="MSWordContent"><p>Tesla's Vehicle Software team is building out its Processor in the Loop (PIL) test infrastructure — a rack-based cluster that validates ECU firmware by running it on real processors while emulating surrounding vehicle hardware in real time. PIL serves as a force multiplier: By abstracting away specific board designs, we test firmware for a variety of components on common hardware as long as they share a microprocessor. PIL also enables firmware teams to get ahead of hardware development, providing an advanced dev-kit environment before physical boards are fabricated. This approach ensures the sim-to-reality gap remains marginal as our vehicles take on increasingly complex, software-driven responsibilities.</div>

Job Responsibilities

Design, implement, and verify RTL (Verilog/SystemVerilog) targeting Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ SOM platforms
Develop FPGA-based peripheral emulation cores for automotive protocols including SPI, I2C, CAN, SENT, and LIN
Build stimulus generation and output capture logic to exercise and observe real processors under test
Integrate FPGA emulation boards into the PIL rack cluster, supporting a range of processor targets used across Vehicle Software
Collaborate cross-functionally with hardware teams designing the physical boards being emulated and the emulation hardware, and with firmware teams writing the code under test
Bring up, debug, and characterize FPGA designs on hardware using tools such as Vivado, ILA, and bench instrumentation

Job Requirements

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience
Proficiency in RTL design (VHDL, Verilog, or SystemVerilog)
Experience with Xilinx FPGA toolchains (Vivado synthesis, implementation, and debug)
Strong working knowledge of low-level communication protocols: SPI, I2C, CAN, SENT, LIN
Comfort reading schematics and debugging at the hardware/firmware boundary
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with the team
Experience developing real-time mathematical models of physical systems (e.g., motor dynamics, power stage behavior, thermal models) for hardware emulation or HIL applications a plus
Familiarity with processor-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, or similar test methodologies a plus
Familiarity with Python test frameworks and the ability to read and understand embedded C firmware code a plus

About the Company

Tesla

Makes electric cars, robotaxis and grid batteries

Tesla makes electric cars and batteries that store power for homes and utilities, and it develops self-driving software and humanoid robots. In 2023, its Model Y became the first electric vehicle to rank as the world's best-selling car. Buyers order the Model 3 sedan, Model Y SUV, or Cybertruck pickup directly from Tesla instead of through dealers, and they charge on its Supercharger fast-charging network. It also sells Megapack and Powerwall batteries, runs a robotaxi service, and charges drivers a monthly fee for self-driving software that still needs their supervision. Tesla was founded in 2003, with Elon Musk as its lead early investor and a recognized co-founder, and it is based in Austin, Texas.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Founded: 2003

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