FPGA & Firmware Engineer

Sateliot is a Barcelona-based satellite company with one goal: connect everything, everywhere. Founded in 2018, we've built the first satellite constellation that lets standard commercial devices communicate directly from space. Our technology bridges the gaps that terrestrial networks will never reach, bringing affordable and secure connectivity to industries, governments, and communities across the planet.

Learn more: https://sateliot.space/

About the team & this role

Working within the Payload team, your mission is to develop the "brain" of our satellites end-to-end — from FPGA logic to embedded firmware running on the SoC. Your role is a dynamic 50/50 mix of FPGA design (RTL) and embedded firmware (PS) on the same target. You will be the bridge between hardware logic and the software running on top of it.

What you'll do

• RTL Design & Integration: Design and implement digital logic in SystemVerilog or VHDL on the PL side. Integrate IP blocks and bridge them via AXI4 / AXI4-Stream / AXI4-Lite.
• Embedded Firmware: Write C / C++ firmware running on the SoC's processing system — drivers, control logic, data path, and hardware-software interaction.
• Embedded Linux: Build and configure the embedded Linux image with PetaLinux and/or Yocto — kernel configuration, device tree, drivers, and rootfs customization.
• High-Speed Interfaces: Bring up and validate high-speed PL interfaces between FPGA and external devices.
• Automation & Scripting: Develop and maintain scripts in Python and Tcl to automate build processes, testing workflows, and lab verifications.
• Hands-on Debugging: Work in the lab with real hardware to debug signals, validate payload performance, and troubleshoot integration issues.

What you bring

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 2 to 4 years of professional experience covering both FPGA RTL design and embedded firmware on the same SoC platform — Xilinx/AMD Zynq/Versal or Altera/Intel SoC FPGA are both welcome.

Technical Skills

• Strong SystemVerilog or VHDL on the PL side.
• Strong C / C++ for embedded systems (pointers, memory management, low-level drivers).
• Embedded Linux on ARM — kernel modules, device tree, drivers; or strong baremetal background and willingness to ramp into Linux.
• PetaLinux and/or Yocto build-flow experience.
• AXI protocol family on the PL side (AXI4 / AXI4-Stream / AXI4-Lite).
• High-speed interface integration.
• Comfortable working in a Linux environment and using the command line (Bash), and with Git version control workflows.
• Demonstrable ability to write scripts in Python or Tcl for automation tasks.
• AI-Augmented Engineering: experience using AI coding assistants (e.g., Cursor AI, Copilot, Claude) to accelerate development and debugging, or a strong willingness to adopt these tools to work smarter and faster.
• Professional proficiency in English.

Soft Skills

• A proactive attitude and a genuine passion for Space Tech and 5G.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently when needed.
• Eagerness to learn and share knowledge with the team.

Bonus if you have

• Versal know-how is a plus (newcomers will go through our internal Versal training course and reference material).
• AI Engines (AIE / AIE-ML) or Vitis HLS exposure.
• Previous exposure to Xilinx tools like Vivado or Vitis (or Altera/Intel Quartus equivalents).
• Basic knowledge of Software-Defined Radio (SDR) or baseband processing concepts.
• Specific interest in satellite payloads, 5G NTN, or space-grade design.

How we work

We lead with humility, move fast, and take ownership. We collaborate without ego and measure ourselves by real impact, not titles or hierarchy. We hire people who already live these values.

What we offer

• Real impact on one of Europe’s most ambitious space projects.
• Growth: we cover 50% of courses or master’s degrees (up to 5% of your salary), plus Spanish and Catalan classes.
• Health & balance: 50% on private health insurance and Urban Sports Club, a flexible schedule, and hybrid work, we focus on results, not hours.
• Flexible Compensation: flexible compensation through Cobee (meal, transport, kindergarten).
• A truly global team: 20+ nationalities building something genuinely new - and genuinely nice to work with. Great vibes, real teamwork.
• A real welcome: a dedicated buddy from day one.
• Life outside work: we organize leisure and sports activities both during and outside working hours - because great teams connect beyond the screen.
• Catering: if you don´t have time to cook, we partner with a catering company so a freshmeal is sorted, no need to think about it.
• Parking: on-site parking at the office, with Sateliot covering 50% of the cost - plus free bike parking if you prefer to pedal in.

Sound like you?

Apply now!

Sateliot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs, without discrimination on the basis of any legally protected characteristic.