Company: Delphi Engineering Group

Location: Irvine, CA

Employment Type: Full-time

Reports To: CEO / Executive Leadership

Role Summary: The Principal Hardware Architect & Engineering Manager is the senior technical and execution authority for DEG’s FPGA-based hardware platforms. This role combines hands-on hardware architecture and board-level design with direct management of the hardware and FPGA engineering function.

This position owns:

• Hardware system architecture
• Board-level design integrity
• Hardware ↔ FPGA integration
• Engineering execution, priorities, and delivery

This is not a pure people-management role and not a layout-only role. It is a hands-on technical leadership position with real accountability.

Core Responsibilities:

System & Hardware Architecture

• Define system-level hardware architecture for PCIe, FMC/FMC+, and VPX platforms
• Architect high-speed data acquisition and playback systems
• Select and qualify key technologies (FPGAs, ADCs/DACs, clocking subsystems)
• Define PCIe Gen4/Gen5 hardware architecture and throughput strategy
• Establish hardware design standards reused across product families
• Own technical tradeoffs involving performance, risk, cost, and schedule

Board-Level Hardware Design

• Own complete board designs from concept through production release
• Drive schematic capture for FPGA subsystems, high-speed serial interfaces, memory, power and clocking
• Define PCB stackups, routing constraints, and SI/PI requirements
• Work directly with PCB designers to ensure correct implementation
• Lead board bring-up, debug, and validation
• Resolve cross-discipline hardware issues (hardware ↔ FPGA ↔ test)

FPGA Architecture & Integration (Oversight Level)

• Define FPGA-facing hardware architecture (JESD204 topology, clock domains, reset strategy, PCIe interfaces)
• Review FPGA designs for hardware compatibility and system correctness
• Collaborate with FPGA engineers on interface definition and partitioning
• Ensure hardware supports FPGA timing, clocking, and throughput needs

This role requires architectural understanding of FPGA systems, not day-to-day RTL development.

Engineering Management & Execution

• Directly manage hardware and FPGA engineers (employees and contractors)
• Own engineering priorities, schedules, and resource allocation
• Balance new development, sustaining engineering, and customer-driven work
• Lead design reviews, release decisions, and technical risk assessments
• Set expectations for design quality, documentation, and release discipline
• Coordinate engineering work across hardware, FPGA, software, and test
• Act as the escalation point for technical and execution issues

Technical Leadership & External Interface

• • Serve as the final technical authority for hardware decisions
  • Mentor engineers and enforce engineering standards
  • Interface with customers on deep technical topics when required
  • Support proposal development and technical responses
  • Preserve technical continuity across product generations

Required Qualifications:

• 15+ years experience in complex digital and mixed-signal hardware design
• Proven ownership of complete board designs
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams or technical groups
• Deep expertise in PCIe, SERDES, JESD204B/C systems, clocking and power architecture
• Working knowledge of FPGA architecture sufficient to guide integration
• Strong bring-up and debug experience
• Comfortable making final technical and execution decisions
• U.S. Person (citizenship or permanent residency)

Preferred Experience:

• AMD/Xilinx UltraScale+ or Versal platforms
• FMC / FMC+ / VPX carrier designs
• Wideband ADC/DAC or Direct RF systems
• Defense or aerospace programs
• Small-team, high-ownership environments

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package:
  • Health insurance
  • Dental insurance
  • Vision insurance
  • Retirement plan with employer matching.
  • Paid time off
• Exciting projects with the potential to make a significant impact in the field of electronic design.
• A collaborative and inclusive team culture that values creativity, initiative, and technical excellence.

Citizenship Requirement:

Delphi Engineering Group is a military and aerospace manufacturer requiring strict adherence to ITAR requirements. As a condition of employment applicants must provide proof of US Citizenship (no green cards or visas).