PCB Design Engineer

PCB Design Engineer (RF/HDI)

This full-time PCB Design Engineer role focuses on the design, layout, analysis, and documentation of complex multilayer printed circuit boards for aerospace and space-based applications. You will independently execute advanced RF and HDI board layouts, collaborate closely with cross-functional engineering teams, and contribute directly to the development of high-reliability, mission-critical electronics. The position emphasizes RF circuitry, High-Density Interconnect (HDI) technologies, signal integrity, power integrity, and manufacturability while ensuring high performance and quality in demanding environments.

Responsibilities:

• Design and develop complex multilayer PCB layouts for aerospace, communications, sensing, and embedded systems applications.
• Create PCB designs that incorporate RF, microwave, high-speed digital, mixed-signal, and power distribution circuitry.
• Develop HDI PCB designs featuring blind and buried vias, via-in-pad structures, microvias, controlled impedance routing, and dense component placement.
• Define and refine board stack-ups in collaboration with fabrication vendors and electrical engineering teams.
• Support schematic capture reviews and provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Testability (DFT) recommendations.
• Conduct signal integrity and power integrity analysis to ensure high-performance operation across RF and high-speed digital interfaces.
• Optimize PCB layouts for EMI/EMC compliance, thermal management, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Generate complete fabrication, assembly, and manufacturing documentation packages for production release.
• Coordinate directly with PCB fabrication and assembly suppliers to resolve technical issues and support production readiness.
• Participate in formal and informal design reviews and support engineering change processes throughout the product lifecycle.
• Support prototype builds, including bring-up, troubleshooting, and root cause investigations for layout-related issues.
• Contribute to design verification efforts to ensure boards meet electrical, mechanical, and environmental requirements.
• Ensure PCB designs comply with applicable aerospace, IPC, and high-reliability quality standards.

Essential

Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering Technology, or a related technical field, or equivalent industry experience.
• At least 3 years of PCB design and layout experience.
• Proficiency with advanced PCB design tools, including Altium Designer.
• Experience designing multilayer PCBs, with 8 or more layers preferred.
• Hands-on experience with HDI technologies such as blind and buried vias, microvias, via-in-pad, sequential lamination, and fine-pitch BGAs.
• Experience supporting RF and microwave designs operating from MHz through multi-GHz frequency ranges.
• Understanding of controlled impedance routing practices for RF and high-speed digital interfaces.
• Experience with high-speed digital interfaces such as DDR3/DDR4, PCIe, Ethernet, USB, and Ser Des architectures.
• Knowledge of PCB fabrication and assembly processes and their impact on layout decisions.
• Familiarity with IPC standards including IPC-2221, IPC-7351, and IPC-A-610.
• Ability to interpret complex schematics and collaborate effectively with hardware, FPGA, embedded software, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering teams.
• Ability to perform or support signal integrity and power integrity analysis.
• Ability to optimize layouts for EMI/EMC, thermal performance, and reliability.
• Eligibility to work on export-controlled projects as a U.S. Person.

Additional Skills &

Qualifications:

• Experience with additional PCB design tool chains such as Cadence Allegro/OrCAD.
• Experience with Siemens Xpedition (Mentor Graphics) is preferred.
• Experience supporting space, aerospace, defense, satellite, launch vehicle, or other high-reliability electronics programs.
• Working knowledge of RF front ends, antenna systems, GNSS, telemetry, communications, radar, or electronic warfare systems.
• Experience with RF shielding techniques and EMI/EMC mitigation strategies.
• Familiarity with thermal analysis methods as they relate to PCB layout and component placement.
• Experience using power integrity and signal integrity tools to validate PCB designs.
• Familiarity with IPC Class 3 requirements and mission-critical hardware design practices.
• Experience transitioning products from prototype through full-rate production.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a hands-on approach to supporting prototype builds and design verification.

Work Environment:

You will work in a highly collaborative engineering environment focused on advanced aerospace and spaceflight hardware. The technical environment includes RF and microwave electronics, HDI PCB technologies, high-speed digital design, controlled impedance routing, FPGA-based systems, embedded processors and SoCs, and satellite and spaceflight hardware. Projects emphasize signal integrity, power integrity, EMI/EMC compliance,…