Mixed-Signal Electronic Design Engineer

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross‑fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation.

A Mixed‑Signal Electronic Design Engineer designs, develops, tests, and oversees the manufacturing of electrical printed circuit boards (PCBs), analog and digital circuits, electronic equipment, sensors, motors, radar and navigation systems. The role includes developing the architecture, performing simulations, physical layout, verification and testing, and supporting the entire life cycle—planning, design, test, deployment, and sustainment.

• Support system architecture design and trade studies
• Review and support proposal development and project execution
• Understand detailed electrical analysis and design for mixed‑signal electronics
• Perform schematic capture, simulation, and PCB layout; oversee prototypes bring‑up and debugging
• Conduct functional verification and performance characterization

• Translate project and system requirements into well‑defined hardware architectures working with cross‑functional teams.
• Design and/or complete instruments including microprocessors, power, and analog components.
• Innovatively solve issues, drive project completion to schedule, and collaborate with other technical contributors.
• Build and test prototypes, debug, and prepare documentation for manufacturing and support.
• Research and enable innovative solutions for cutting‑edge designs.
• Engage other engineers and partners to develop reliable, cost‑effective solutions for products.
• Collaborate and communicate with management, internal, and development partners regarding design status, project progress, and issue resolution.
• Independently execute assignments with minimal oversight.
• Apply technical knowledge to solve problems.
• Contribute high‑quality content for technical reports and presentations with minimal guidance.
• Proactively identify needs and concerns associated with design decisions and communicate them to project leadership.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Proficiency in electronic design, microprocessor or embedded computing.
• Understanding of design and general computer architecture.
• Ability to write detailed design specifications.
• Computer programming and coding abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent mathematical skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time‑management skills with the proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks.
• Thorough understanding of engineering theories and procedures.

Bachelor’s degree in Electronic or Electrical Engineering or related field. Master’s degree preferred.

3–5 years of experience in Electronic or Electrical Engineering or related fields.

• Technical capability with strong electrical engineering fundamentals.
• Experience leading teams of engineers as well as a background in developing new products/business.
• Experience in all of the following areas of electronic design: miniature low‑power embedded systems, sensor integration, wireless communication interfaces, battery conditioning and maintenance.
• Basic experience with microcontroller software (using C/C++ or assembly) and FPGA firmware (VHDL or Verilog).
• Ability to develop code for bring‑up tests or simple demos.
• Familiarity with signal and power integrity analysis tools (Hyper Lynx, Ansys).
• Experience with miniature electronic packaging and design using bare die or chip‑scale packages.
• Ability to understand and influence packaging design constraints and requirements for custom designs.

• Applicants selected for this position may be required to obtain and maintain a government…