An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is an electronic circuit whose internal logic can be reconfigured after manufacturing, which makes it possible to create a custom component without fabricating a dedicated chip.
Instead of executing a program instruction by instruction like a processor, an FPGA is "wired" to perform a function directly, with very high parallelism and very low, predictable latency. It is described in a hardware description language such as VHDL or Verilog, then tools translate it into a circuit configuration. The main manufacturers are AMD (formerly Xilinx) and Altera.
FPGAs are found in radar signal processing, telecoms, electronic warfare, imaging, high-frequency trading and chip prototyping. It is a key technology in defense and space.
Why it matters when hiring
An FPGA engineer is not a software developer: they think in circuits, clocks and timing constraints. The talent pool is small and in high demand from defense, space and finance. In interviews, have the candidate describe a design delivered on real hardware, the timing issues encountered and how they verified it (simulation, testbench). School experience on an evaluation board alone remains a junior level.