Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.
Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.
FPGA/RTL Engineer
We're looking for an experienced FPGA/RTL engineer to help build our state-of-the-art optical communication system — the hard-real-time logic that connects optical communication terminals to embedded computers. You'll work closely with our optical communication team to design and own HDL for optical-link interfaces and high-speed data pipelines for in-orbit and ground communications. This is active development on a live flight program with near-term launch milestones: you'll join a small team, take full ownership of workstreams from day one, and see your designs fly.
Responsibilities
Design, implement, and verify HDL/RTL in SystemVerilog/Verilog for the FPGA subsystems of our state-of-the-art optical communication system, from architecture through on-orbit operation
Partner directly with the optical communication team to design and implement FPGA logic for free-space optical communication links, including modem interfacing, framing/synchronization, and high-throughput data pipelines
Develop high-throughput communication pipelines for moving compute and optical-link data from orbit to the ground, including high-speed Ethernet (10/25/40/100GbE) MAC/PCS logic, SERDES/transceiver configuration, and link-layer framing within the FPGA fabric
Build memory-mapped register interfaces (AXI) between FPGA logic and onboard flight software, and define the hardware/software contract with flight software engineers
Own timing closure, synthesis, and implementation across Zynq UltraScale+ and Versal targets using Vivado and related toolchains
Develop testbenches and simulation environments to verify designs before hardware, and validate on the bench with logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and protocol analyzers
Lead board bring-up and hardware integration for new payload avionics, working closely with electrical and embedded software engineers
Investigate anomalies spanning the optical-link-to-ground and software chain, perform root cause analysis, and drive fixes across hardware/firmware/software boundaries
Document designs and interfaces, and pair with teammates to spread ownership of the FPGA function across the team
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
5+ years of experience in FPGA/HDL design, including architecture, verification, synthesis, and timing closure
Proficiency in SystemVerilog or Verilog for production FPGA development
Hands-on experience with Xilinx/AMD FPGA platforms (e.g., Zynq, Zynq UltraScale+) and toolchains (Vivado, Vitis)
Experience designing high-speed digital interfaces and DDR/DMA-based datapaths
Experience integrating FPGA logic with embedded software, including memory-mapped register interfaces and driver-level debugging
Experience developing FPGA platforms for multi-gigabit data pipelines, including integrating forward error correction and other stabilization techniques — optical communication or high-speed Ethernet experience strongly preferred
Hands-on hardware bring-up and lab debugging experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and embedded debug tools
Demonstrated ability to own open-ended design problems independently and carry them from architecture through hardware and on-orbit operation
Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline
Experience in aerospace, defense, semiconductor, or other high-reliability development
Experience with free-space or fiber optical communication systems — optical communication terminals, coherent/direct-detection modems, or high-speed optical transceivers
Experience implementing Ethernet or other high-speed serial protocol layers (MAC/PCS/PMA) directly in FPGA fabric — a big plus
Understanding of network topology and architecture (routing, switching, protocol stacks) — a bonus
Familiarity with Versal ACAP architecture and Quartus toolflows
Experience with simulation and verification tools such as Questa/ModelSim, Xcelium, or Verilator, and with UVM or other structured verification methodologies
Proficiency with C/C++, Python, and TCL for bring-up, test automation, and tooling
Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing and automated regression of FPGA designs
Familiarity with fault-tolerant design and radiation effects mitigation (SEU scrubbing, TMR, configuration memory integrity) for space applications
Experience thriving in fast-paced, high-ownership environments with rapid iteration cycles
The salary range for this position is $150,000 – $200,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.
Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) retirement savings plan
Paid time off
10 paid holidays per calendar year
Paid parental leave
Relocation assistance if applicable
Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks
ITAR Requirements
Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.
Disclaimer
This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.
Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.
Will AI replace this role?
Check AI displacement risk, transferable skills, and career alternatives for FPGA Engineer
The salary range for the FPGA Engineer position at Cowboyspace is USD 150k-200k/yr.
The FPGA Engineer position at Cowboyspace is based in San Carlos, California. This is an on-site position.
The FPGA Engineer position at Cowboyspace is a Full time role.
The FPGA Engineer position at Cowboyspace requires 5+ yrs exp.
Key skills for the FPGA Engineer position at Cowboyspace include: c++, python.
