Hardware FPGA Design Engineer
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Location:Maynard, Massachusetts, US
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Area of InterestEngineer - Hardware
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Compensation Range146000 USD - 205400 USD
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Job TypeProfessional
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Technology InterestAI or Artificial Intelligence, Cloud and Data Center, Networking
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Job Id1444830
The application window is expected to close on: 7/31/2025
Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Meet the Team
Acacia, now part of Cisco, designs intelligent optical transceivers using sophisticated signal processing and photonic integration for >1T bit speed fiber optic transmission market deployed in data center, metro, long-haul and ultra-long haul telecommunication networks. The team is a versatile and upbeat team of enthusiastic engineers in an environment where team members experience mutual enhancement and improvement. You will have the opportunity to collaborate cross-functionally with our Hardware, Software, Optics, and manufacturing teams.
Your Impact
You are a high-energy FGPA Design engineer who loves to work on complex communications products. You are a team player with a startup mentality who loves to challenge the status quo with creation and innovation. You can figure things out by yourself, but you are comfortable to participate in our friendly and team-oriented collaboration approach to learn from others. You are not shy to point out how we can be more effective as a team, and yet you are open to similar suggestions by your team members to foster mutual growth for all.
- Design/Verify FGPAs For Acacia's Product and Evaluation platform
- Write Python routines for Test Development and Automation
- Contribute to FPGA Emulation of ASIC Blocks
- Contribute to our custom ASIC RTL code
Minimum Qualifications (Provide up to five (5) bullet points - these should be clearly defined, objective, non-comparative, relevant, and quantifiable to appropriately evaluate applicants – not including soft skills):
- Bachelors +8 years of experience, or Masters +6 years of experience, or PHD +3 years of experience of related experience or higher with minimum
- 5+ years of FPGA design and verification experience
- Experience in Verilog RTL coding and synthesis for FPGAs
- Experience with Python and Linux
- Experience designing interfaces with Processors, SPI & I2C devices, MDIO, high speed SERDES, etc.
- Experience in Xilinx® design tool chain for design, place, and route (ISE®, Vivado® suite)
Preferred Qualifications (Provide up to five (5) bullet points: these can include soft skills)
- C/C++ and experience coding with embedded MCUs
- Experience in designs and timing closure with multiple clock domains
- Experience work in labs and experience with test equipment to help with board level and FPGA bring up
- Experience with analog components (OpAmps, DACs/ADCs, etc.)
- Experience implementing digital control loops and DSP functions
- Experience with Xilinx FPGA families such as Ultrascale+
- Experience with Synopsys VCS simulation and Synplify® synthesis tools for FPGAs
- Expertise in creating FPGA implementations from ASIC RTL code
- Expertise in digital design of standard cell ASICs
- Experience presenting technical information to technical and non-technical audiences.
Why Cisco?
At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Simply put – we power the future.
Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.
When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.
U.S. employees have access to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings.
Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday (for non-exempt employees), plus a day off for their birthday. Non-Exempt new hires accrue up to 16 days of vacation time off each year, at a rate of 4.92 hours per pay period. Exempt new hires participate in Cisco’s flexible Vacation Time Off policy, which does not place a defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use, but is subject to availability and some business limitations. All new hires are eligible for Sick Time Off subject to Cisco’s Sick Time Off Policy and will have eighty (80) hours of sick time off provided on their hire date and on January 1st of each year thereafter. Up to 80 hours of unused sick time will be carried forward from one calendar year to the next such that the maximum number of sick time hours an employee may have available is 160 hours. Employees in Illinois have a unique time off program designed specifically with local requirements in mind. All employees also have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community.
Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:
.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;
1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;
1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.
For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.