Full-Time

Principal FPGA Engineer

Updated on 8/23/2026

RTX

RTX

10,001+ employees

Defense and commercial aerospace conglomerate

Compensation Overview

$107.5k - $204.5k/yr

+ Annual incentive compensation

No H1B Sponsorship

McKinney, TX, USA

In Person

Relocation support is available based on candidate eligibility.

US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required

Bachelor's, Master's

Category
Hardware Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
Verilog
Machine Learning
VHDL
FPGA

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Requirements
  • A STEM degree and a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience are typically required.
  • Experience with FPGA or ASIC design using VHDL and/or Verilog, or FPGA or ASIC verification using SystemVerilog.
  • Experience with AMD (Xilinx), Altera, and/or Microchip (Microsemi) devices and tools such as AMD Vivado, Altera Quartus Prime Pro, or Libero.
  • Hands-on experience integrating and debugging FPGA or ASIC designs in a laboratory environment.
  • Experience with timing closure, clock-domain crossing and reset-domain crossing analysis, and constraint development.
  • Experience with source-code management, design reviews, and code release in a team development environment.
  • The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance is required, and U.S. citizenship is required.
  • An active and existing Secret clearance is required after the first day.
Responsibilities
  • Provide full lifecycle support for production-quality FPGA designs across major vendors and device families, including AMD (Xilinx), Altera, and Microchip (Microsemi).
  • Generate FPGA designs for gigabit and multigigabit transceiver serial interfaces, radio-frequency digital signal processing, controls, data links, embedded processing, and processor interfaces.
  • Translate system-level requirements into FPGA requirements.
  • Architect FPGA-based systems to determine parts, interfaces, and concepts of operations.
  • Lead small and medium-sized FPGA engineering teams and contribute VHDL code for reliability and maintainability.
  • Verify designs using self-checking techniques, directed and constrained-random tests, and functional and code-coverage tracking.
  • Define FPGA task schedules and drive execution to the planned budget and schedule.
  • Identify and manage project risks and opportunities.
  • Create complete documentation, including requirements, verification plans, and user guides.
  • Coach, review, and delegate work to junior engineers.
  • Serve as a subject-matter expert within the discipline.
  • Lead internal and external technical reviews.
  • Support customer interactions and relationships.
  • Contribute to product and technology roadmaps.
  • Improve processes, systems, or products to enhance overall performance.
  • Pursue personal technical growth and facilitate technical growth among peers and junior engineers.
Desired Qualifications
  • One or more advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering or a related STEM major; a suitable degree may count as two years of work experience.
  • FPGA or ASIC design experience in radar processing techniques.
  • FPGA or ASIC design experience in image processing techniques for visual and infrared sensors.
  • Embedded systems design experience using ARM, MicroBlaze, or NIOS processors.
  • Experience with gigabit serial interfaces and multigigabit transceivers.
  • Constrained-random verification in Universal Verification Methodology using SystemVerilog.
  • Verification using emulation platforms such as Veloce.
  • Experience with High-Level Synthesis.
  • Experience with vector processors and/or graphics processing units.
  • Use of artificial intelligence to improve FPGA workflows, including verification automation, log triage, and regression analytics.
  • Artificial-intelligence or machine-learning inference on FPGA, including Vitis AI, FINN, or custom accelerators.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead successful teams.
  • Experience managing technical, cost, and schedule risks and opportunities.
  • Experience with project management tools such as Earned Value and Agile Execution.
  • Experience communicating and documenting technical topics and presenting to customers and management.
  • Experience leading a program transition from development to production.
  • Proposal development experience.
  • Experience generating intellectual property, including patents and publications.
  • Demonstrated mentorship of junior engineers.

RTX is a large aerospace and defense company formed by the 2020 merger of Raytheon Technologies and United Technologies’ aerospace businesses. It develops and delivers defense systems, advanced radar, missiles, and cybersecurity solutions, as well as commercial aircraft engines, avionics, and related aerospace technologies. Its products combine sensors, weapons, propulsion, and software to enable both military and civilian aviation. RTX differentiates itself through scale and a diversified portfolio that spans high-end defense capabilities and broad commercial aerospace, offering end-to-end systems from engines to electronic systems and software. The company aims to invest in future aerospace technologies such as hypersonics, artificial intelligence, and sustainable aviation, while managing a large backlog of orders and navigating global supply chains to serve both defense and commercial customers.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Arlington, Virginia

Founded

2022

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • RTX raised 2026 sales guidance to $95–$96 billion after Q2 organic growth.
  • Tomahawk output rises toward 1,000 annually, with $22.9 billion Navy funding secured.
  • Commercial aftermarket sales rose 18%, boosting cash flow as engine deliveries recovered.

What critics are saying

  • Pratt & Whitney’s GTF defects grounded airline fleets and keep Airbus threatening damages.
  • Airbus seeks compensation in 2026, and ITA Airways weighs litigation over Pratt faults.
  • Powder-metal GTF repairs still cost RTX about $150 million quarterly, pressuring margins.

What makes RTX unique

  • RTX combines Pratt engines, Collins avionics, and Raytheon missiles across one platform.
  • RTX backlog reached $289 billion in Q2 2026, spanning defense and commercial demand.
  • Raytheon’s Tomahawk contract and classified awards cement RTX’s scale in munitions.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) Company Match

401(k) Retirement Plan

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Parental Leave

Family Planning Benefits

Fertility Treatment Support

Adoption Assistance

Employee Assistance Plan

Wellness Program

Gym Membership

Tuition Reimbursement

Student Loan Assistance

Home Office Stipend

Phone/Internet Stipend

Short-term Disability

Long-term Disability

Employee Scholar Program

Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees

Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds

Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning

Bright Horizons, child and elder care services

Doctor on Demand, virtual doctor visits

Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

7%

1 year growth

7%

2 year growth

7%
PR Newswire
Aug 17th, 2026
RTX's Raytheon wins $22.9B contract to accelerate Tomahawk missile production

Raytheon, an RTX business, has secured a seven-year, $22.9 billion contract from the US Navy to accelerate production of Tomahawk cruise missiles. The agreement, part of the Department of War's Arsenal of Freedom initiative, will support ramping annual production to over 1,000 missiles. RTX has already tripled Tomahawk deliveries in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. The contract will enable the company to expand capacity and work with hundreds of suppliers nationwide to scale output. Tomahawk cruise missiles provide long-range strike capabilities, allowing the Navy to target hostile forces from hundreds of miles away across multiple launch platforms.

PR Newswire
Aug 10th, 2026
RTX's Raytheon demonstrates new unmanned undersea vehicle with 2,000 nautical mile range

Raytheon, an RTX business, and Composite Energy Technologies have successfully demonstrated HADALUS, a new unmanned undersea vehicle, during a US Navy exercise. The 34-foot UUV completed at-sea missions whilst submerged, marking the first time the Navy has witnessed this integrated capability in water. HADALUS features a carbon-fibre design with over 2,000 nautical miles of endurance. The vehicle costs roughly one-third to one-fifth of comparable long-endurance vehicles. The companies progressed from conceptual sketch to working prototype in under 18 months. The demonstration showcased the UUV's ability to perform detect, reacquire, and engage functions within a single mission. "By tightly coupling design, integration and at-sea experimentation, we've proven we can bring new autonomous solutions to the fleet quickly and cost-effectively," said Jen Gauthier, vice president at Raytheon.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 3rd, 2026
RTX's Raytheon installs first SPY-6(V)4 radar array at Wallops Island for US Navy destroyer upgrade

Raytheon, an RTX business, has installed the first SPY-6(V)4 radar array at the Surface Combat Systems Center at Wallops Island, Virginia. The installation marks a milestone for the US Navy's Flight IIA Destroyer modernisation programme. The land-based test facility will support radar testing and power system integration before installation on USS Pinckney (DDG 91), the first ship scheduled for the SPY-6(V)4 backfit from late 2026 to 2028. Testing will begin later this year and continue through mid-2028. SPY-6 variants are already onboard two commissioned Navy ships, with 11 additional vessels undergoing testing. Over the next decade, more than 50 Navy ships are expected to deploy SPY-6 radars. Raytheon has invested $800 million in manufacturing facilities and aims to double production by 2028.

PR Newswire
Jul 31st, 2026
RTX's Pratt & Whitney secures $1.3B contract for F135 engine spare parts

RTX's Pratt & Whitney has secured a nearly $1.3 billion contract for F135 engine spare parts. The Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract will fund fiscal year 2026 requirements for initial spare parts, deployable packages, depot lay-ins and support equipment for US and international F-35 customers. The F135 engine powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. Pratt & Whitney maintains a global sustainment network supporting 42 bases and 13 ships worldwide. The company has delivered more than 1,500 F135 production engines to customers across 20 allied nations. The upcoming F135 Engine Core Upgrade will leverage the existing sustainment network to provide enhanced capability and fleet readiness.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 31st, 2026
US Pentagon signs seven-year deals with L3Harris and Lockheed Martin to expand missile defense production

The US Defense Department announced two seven-year agreements with L3Harris Technologies and Lockheed Martin on 27 July to expand propulsion capacity for Patriot and THAAD interceptors, addressing missile defence system shortages driven by Iran tensions. RTX also benefits as a key contractor and supplier for these systems. L3Harris is up 3% this year, whilst RTX and Lockheed Martin have gained more than 17% and 19% respectively. Lockheed reported Q2 revenue of $20.1 billion, up 11% year over year, with a record backlog of $230 billion. Through its Aerojet Rocketdyne business, L3Harris supplies solid-rocket motors for THAAD and Patriot missiles, benefiting from demand regardless of contract awards.