High Level Synthesis (HLS) Staff Engineer 2

SLAC Job Postings

Position Overview:

The Edge Computing Systems department of the Technology Innovation directorate at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is seeking a talented Electronics Engineer to contribute to development of state-of-the-art electronics systems used in a variety of experiments and facilities. This department develops cutting edge electronics for research facilities around the world and in space.

The work will include science, engineering concept development and hands-on work with detectors systems and controls systems. SLAC has broad engineering and technical support, but there will be a need for a wide range of work ranging from concept development to laboratory performance testing, from electronics and software development in a testbed environment to on-site commissioning with domain experts at their facilities. This position requires great flexibility in doing whatever is needed for a successful project but is primarily focused on novel computing solutions to the streaming acquisition and real-time control decisions.

This work involves solving problems in the emerging field of ML-accelerated autonomous control systems. There will be many opportunities for technical discussions, but this role will take responsibility for finding and developing solutions. Members of our team are encouraged to work in a variety of areas, supporting multiple diverse designs in a dynamic and energetic environment which values work life balance and comes with the benefits of being an employee of Stanford University.

As an embedded software & firmware engineer you will be part of the Edge Computing Systems department of the Instrumentation Division. Members of this department provide end-to-end electrical and software solutions for the laboratory and external sponsors that encompass unique science and engineering challenges. The department also hosts world-class competence spanning concept, design, testing and operation and maintenance of high-speed data acquisition and electrical control systems for research instrumentation. The technical scope of your work will be limited only by demonstrated ability and drive to innovate.

You will have the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of domain research in computing, accelerators, and the hard sciences as well as engineering staff with the expectation to contribute to designing hardware and firmware components in advanced electronics systems, including high speed cameras for next generation X-ray light sources, readout electronics for quantum sensing devices, and data processing engines utilizing Artificial Intelligence inference engines. You will also develop solutions to challenges in the areas of sensors, ASICs, analog and high-speed digital electronics boards, high-speed signal transmission, fast data-acquisition and processing, and mechanical packaging and cooling.

Given the nature of this position, SLAC is open to on-site and hybrid work options.

Your specific responsibilities include:

• Architect and implement firmware for FPGAs to support both the front-end operation of detectors and back-end operation of data acquisition (DAQ) systems including embedded processor applications and HLS cus tom IPs .
• Specify and design circuit boards, both low noise analog and high speed digital, to support instrumentation systems.
• Be part of the team designing the concept, architecture, and components of future advanced instrumentation systems.
• Develop Edge AI edge processing algorithms to enhance the data acquisition pipeline of next generation detectors.
• Learn to operate and integrate third party processing hardware into computing test bed, including a heterogeneous mix of customer and commercial hardware.
• Perform characterization, calibration and integration of state-of-the-art silicon detectors for use at experiments such as LCLS-II, nEXO, and CMB-S4 .
• Support for detector system integration, including components such as silicon sensors, ASICs, electronics, firmware, readout electronics and data acquisition.
• Support the assembly, integration, and testing of components for next generation instrumentation systems for a range of applications such as high-energy physics collider or fixed-target experiments, FEL x-ray sources, fusion reactor systems, and dark matter searches.
• Collaborate with other instrumentation development groups at SLAC and other scientific institutions.

To be successful in this position you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in electronics, physics or related fields and at least 2 years of experience in the following areas, or post-Graduate degree in electronics, physics or related fields.
  • Experience with embedded signal processing in Vivado or Vitis High-Level Synthesis (HLS)
  • Python and C++ coding language experience
  • Experience with standard Neural Network design flows such as Keras, PyTorch, Caffe or TensorFlow
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and be self-motivated.
• Excellent communications skills and ability to work well in a research and development team.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Proven project management and team leadership skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate degree or equivalent in electronics, physics or related fields is a plus.

SLAC employee competencies:

• Effective Decisions : Uses job knowledge and solid judgment to make quality decisions in a timely manner.
• Self-Development : Pursues a variety of venues and opportunities to continue learning and developing.
• Dependability : Can be counted on to deliver results with a sense of personal responsibility for expected outcomes.
• Initiative : Pursues work and interactions proactively with optimism, positive energy, and motivation to move things forward.
• Adaptability : Flexes as needed when change occurs, maintains an open outlook while adjusting and accommodating changes.
• Communication : Ensures effective information flow to various audiences and creates and delivers clear, appropriate written, spoken, presented messages
• Relationships : Builds relationships to foster trust, collaboration, and a positive climate to achieve.

Physical requirements and Working conditions:

• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.

Work standards:

• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for environment, safety and security; communicates related concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned. Meets the applicable roles and responsibilities as described in the ESH Manual, Chapter 1-General Policy and Responsibilities: http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/eshmanual/pdfs/ESHch01.pdf
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu Given the nature of this position, SLAC is open to on-site and hybrid work options.

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Classification Title: Staff Engineer 2

Grade: K

Job code: 0132

Duration: Regular Continuing

The expected pay range for this position is $116,000 to $170,000 per annum. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.