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Holguer Andrés Becerra Daza

FPGA Lover · Embedded Systems · FPGA Engineer

FPGA engineer specializing in Zynq UltraScale+/SoC platforms, FPGA firmware, Linux integration and embedded systems. Creator of tutorials and projects at FPGAlover.com.

About

Holguer Andrés Becerra Daza, MEng (B.Eng. 2012, MEng. 2017) is an FPGA engineer and embedded systems developer with over 15 years of combined industrial and academic experience in Colombia and Canada. He received his Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from the University of British Columbia in 2017, after earning his B.Eng. in 2012.

He is currently working as an FPGA Engineer at Photonic Inc., where he designs high-performance FPGA systems for quantum and photonic computing platforms. His work focuses on AXI/DDR streaming architectures, RISC-V scheduling, FPGA-based hardware acceleration, TDCs (Time-to-Digital Converters), and custom hardware design, helping to bridge advanced hardware with scalable software systems.

His career also spans roles at organizations such as FCV (Cardiovascular Foundation of Colombia), Pontifical Bolivarian University (UPB), TRIUMF, Rapidia, Stericlinic, General Stochastics, Ikomed Technologies, and RAD Torque Systems, where he applied FPGA and embedded technologies to medical devices, signal/image processing, algorithms’ acceleration, and digital communications.

Holguer holds a Colombian patent for a portable vital signs monitor based on FPGA technology. He is also the founder of FPGAlover.com, a tutorial and project hub recognized by Terasic Corp as a valuable knowledge source for the FPGA community. As a lecturer and mentor, he has taught FPGA and embedded systems at universities and in professional settings.

His technical passions include FPGAs, SoCs, embedded systems, hardware accelerators, machine learning on FPGAs, soft-processors (Nios II, Picoblaze), neural networks, reinforcement learning, adaptive control, parallel computing, ARM architectures, IoT technologies, and computer graphics.

Above all, he is an FPGA lover, committed to building high-performance systems and sharing knowledge that empowers the next generation of hardware engineers.

Experience

FPGA Engineer — Photonic Inc. · Full-time · Aug 2023 – Present · Coquitlam, BC (Hybrid)

  • Designing high-performance FPGA systems for quantum and photonic computing platforms.
  • Implementing AXI/DDR streaming architectures, RISC-V scheduling engines, and FPGA-based hardware accelerators.
  • Developing custom hardware modules and Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) for advanced measurement and control.
  • Skills: HDL Designer · Embedded Linux · Verilog · PetaLinux · Custom Hardware · TDCs

Embedded Software Engineer — RAD Torque Systems · Jan 2019 – Aug 2023 · Abbotsford, Canada

  • Developed firmware/software for high-torque electronic wrenches using Cypress PSoC, FreeRTOS, Linux Kernel, Node.js, C/C++, and Python.
  • Skills: Embedded Linux · FreeRTOS · PSoC · Node.js · C · C++ · Python

Design & Development Engineer — Stericlinic · Jan 2016 – Aug 2023 · Bucaramanga, Colombia (Remote)

  • Developed autoclave systems using FPGAs and embedded technologies.
  • Skills: Verilog · C · ARM Architecture · Node.js · C++ · Biomedical Engineering · Python

Control Systems & Firmware Engineer — Unión Eléctrica · Feb 2018 – May 2018 · Medellín, Colombia

  • Developed embedded software on Freescale platforms (i.MX6, KL17Z256) with FreeRTOS/Node.js for SmartGrid and IoT metering applications.
  • Skills: Embedded Linux · C · Node.js · C++ · Python

Senior FPGA Designer (Contract) — Rapidia · Jan 2017 – Dec 2017 · Vancouver, Canada

  • Designed FPGA drivers and hardware descriptions for industrial applications using Altera FPGAs.
  • Skills: Verilog · FPGA

Intern — Ikomed Technologies · Jan 2017 – Sep 2017 · Vancouver, Canada

  • Developed firmware and HDL for a pulsed-fluoroscopy device with reduced radiation exposure.
  • Skills: Verilog · Nios II · FPGA

Teaching Assistant — The University of British Columbia · Dec 2016 – Apr 2017 · Vancouver, Canada

  • Assisted teaching CPEN 311 (Advanced Digital Systems Design) focusing on FPGA architectures, CAD tools, and HDL design.
  • Skills: Verilog · FPGA · University Teaching

Project Adviser — Universidad Santo Tomás · Jun 2016 – Jul 2016 · Bucaramanga, Colombia

  • Supervised the development of an H.264 codec on FPGAs.
  • Skills: SoC FPGA · Verilog · ARM · C · C++

Firmware Developer — TRIUMF · Sep 2015 – Jan 2016 · Vancouver, Canada

  • Developed Linux kernel drivers for SmartFusion2 SoC FPGA to synchronize atomic clocks via SPI for particle accelerator systems.
  • Skills: SoC FPGA · ARM · C · C++ · FPGA

Lecturer — Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana · Jan 2011 – Jul 2015 · Bucaramanga, Colombia

  • Taught FPGA design, computer architecture, digital communications, and introductory C/C++.
  • Led the Semillero ADT research group in FPGA and embedded systems.
  • Skills: SoC FPGA · Verilog · Teaching · ARM · C · C++ · Python · FPGA

Design & Development Engineer — Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia (FCV) · Feb 2011 – Jul 2013 · Bucaramanga, Colombia

  • Led the design of a portable vital signs monitor based on FPGA technology (patented).
  • Developed embedded Nios II subsystems, GUI, network drivers, and custom FPGA modules for biomedical applications.
  • Skills: Verilog · Nios II · C · C++ · RTOS · Biomedical Engineering · FPGA

Skills

FPGA & Hardware Design

  • Verilog / SystemVerilog · VHDL (basic)
  • Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ (XCZU19EG), Microsemi SmartFusion2, Intel/Altera FPGAs
  • AXI/DDR streaming, DMA design, high-performance data pipelines
  • Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) and custom hardware design
  • Hardware accelerators, Machine Learning on FPGAs
  • Soft processors: Nios II, RISC-V (NEORV32), PicoBlaze

Embedded Systems

  • Embedded Linux · PetaLinux · FreeRTOS · uClinux
  • Device tree, kernel drivers, UIO / DMA frameworks
  • ARM (Cortex-M, Cortex-A), PSoC platforms
  • IoT, SmartGrid technologies, digital communications

Programming & Software

  • C, C++, Python (scientific computing, automation, drivers)
  • Node.js, JavaScript (embedded and applications)
  • Parallel programming · Multi-core architectures
  • Computer architecture · Adaptive control · Neural networks

Tools & Development

  • Xilinx Vivado, Vitis, Quartus, ModelSim
  • Git · CI/CD · Linux shell scripting
  • MATLAB/Simulink for modeling & prototyping
  • PCB design basics · Embedded debugging tools

Projects & Tutorials

Author of multiple hands-on tutorials and IP cores hosted at fpgalover.com, including DE0-NANO and Zynq examples, HLS guides, and Verilog cores for PWM, UART and DAC control.

Featured:

  • Guides for creating shared libraries with Vitis and using them from Python on PetaLinux.
  • Multiple Verilog IP cores and DE0-NANO projects (WAV player, VGA/retro projects).

Contact & Links

Email: holguer at fpgalover.com

Email: hbecerra at ece.ubc.ca

Website / Tutorials: fpgalover.com

LinkedIn: Holguer Andrés Becerra Daza