Senior FPGA Engineer, Verification

About Radiant

Radiant is an El Segundo, CA-based startup building the world’s first mass-produced, portable nuclear microreactors. The company’s first reactor, Kaleidos, is a 1-megawatt, fail-safe microreactor that can be transported anywhere power is needed and run for up to 5 years without refueling. Portable nuclear power with rapid-deploy capability can replace similar-sized diesel generators and provide critical asset support for hospitals, data centers, remote sites, and military bases. Radiant’s unique, practical approach to nuclear development leverages modern software engineering to rapidly deliver safe, factory-built microreactors that use existing, well-qualified materials. Founded in 2020, Radiant is on track to test its first reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory this summer, with initial customer deliveries beginning in 2028.

About the Role

Radiant is seeking a Senior FPGA Verification Engineer to add to our Embedded Systems team. You will lead verification of FPGAs used in reactor safety, control, and instrumentation systems, covering safety-critical applications, sensor and actuator handling, and communication systems. This role requires close collaboration with RTL design engineers, hardware engineers, embedded software engineers, and test engineers in a cross-functional setting to ensure designs meet the rigorous demands of controlling and monitoring fission reactors. You will be a key contributor in validating the first commercial reactor design in over 50 years.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Lead verification efforts for FPGA designs using SystemVerilog and UVM/OVM frameworks, from test plan development through coverage closure.

• Develop and maintain automated verification testbenches for functional, regression, constrained-random, and edge-case coverage.

• Define and execute verification strategies for sensor processing, serial communication, and actuator handling logic.

• Collaborate directly with RTL designers and embedded software engineers to identify design intent, resolve bugs, and ensure complete functional coverage.

• Recommend new tools and practices to continuously improve the FPGA verification flow.

• Contribute to RTL design work as needed.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.

• 7+ years of FPGA verification experience with significant depth in functional verification.

• Expert proficiency in SystemVerilog and UVM-based verification methodologies.

• Strong understanding of FPGA verification flows — simulation, coverage analysis, and regression management.

• Experience verifying multi-clock domain designs.

• Familiarity with serial communication protocols such as UART, SPI, and I2C.

• Familiarity with Ethernet as well as AXIS and APB buses.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience with the Microchip PolarFire SoC platform.

• Experience with JASPER or similar verification tool.

• Proficiency with Linux and TCL/bash shell scripting.

• Excellent documentation skills and demonstrated ability to work in multidisciplinary engineering environments.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission.

• Must work 100% onsite at El Segundo headquarters.

Benefits and Perks

• Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.

• Medical: 100% up to base silver level plan for employee + 50% dependents, offers up to Platinum plans.

• One Medical: Sponsored memberships for employees and their dependents.

• Vision: 100% top tier plan coverage + 50% for dependents.

• Dental: 100% top tier plan coverage, orthodontia extra, 50% for dependents.

• Voluntary life, accident, hospital, critical illness, commuter and FSA/HSA are offered as employee contributed benefits.

• 8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees.

• Daily catered lunch. Free snacks and drinks.

• Flexible PTO policy. Remote workday allocation.

• Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and in-person camaraderie.

• Beautiful El Segundo headquarters close to the Pacific Ocean.

Total Compensation and Benefits
Radiant compensates people for impact and invests in those who continue to raise the bar. Radiant’s new hire compensation package includes base salary, substantial equity grants, and comprehensive health benefits. Total compensation and level are determined through a rigorous evaluation of interview performance, experience, education, and qualifications, and are designed to support continued growth as scope, responsibility, and impact expand at Radiant.

The best of today’s advanced reactor builders don’t wait for job postings. They join the winning team. If that’s you, contact us directly for immediate opportunities: recruiting@radiantnuclear.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This position involves access to technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Any job offer made will be contingent upon the applicant’s capacity to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls.