Senior Electrical Engineer

Are you a senior electronics design engineer who enjoys leading a highly technical team while

remaining hands-on in the lab?

Do you want to design custom mixed-signal controls and data-acquisition electronics used at the

leading edge of applied science?

Physical Electronics USA (PHI) is seeking a Senior Electronics Design Engineer to provide technical

leadership to a small design group of five to seven engineers and technicians. This role combines

hands-on design and prototyping with technical supervision, resource planning, project leadership,

and cross-functional system integration.

PHI is a global leader in analytical instrumentation for the surface analysis market. Our products

integrate advanced digital and analog electronics, embedded systems, instrument-control software,

precision mechanical and electromechanical systems, high-voltage electron and ion optics, and

automation. PHI instruments are used by leading research institutes, universities, and industrial

laboratories worldwide.

• Provide technical leadership and supervisory oversight for a group of mixed-signal electronics design engineers and technicians.
• Translate system-level requirements into unit-level engineering specifications, development plans, cost estimates, schedules, and resource requirements.
• Provide project-planning input, manage technical risk, and work with PHI R&D leadership and ULVAC-PHI in Japan to develop the annual engineering plan.
• Maintain PHI’s state-of-the-art electronics design capability through technical study, continuing education, and practical application of emerging technologies.

• Design, prototype, procure, build, test, document, and support custom mixed-signal electronic controls and data-acquisition systems.
• Develop low-noise, medium- to high-speed analog circuits and medium- to high-voltage analog circuits ranging from approximately 200 V to 30 kV.
• Design embedded control systems using microcontrollers and FPGAs; contribute to firmware development using technologies such as Raspberry Pi, Python, and Verilog.
• Design and integrate digital communications including USB, Ethernet, SPI, and related interfaces.
• Lead complex hardware/software system-level integration, test, troubleshooting, and debug activities.

• Create and manage strategic partnerships with contract electronics manufacturers.
• Apply current PCB- and chassis-level electronics manufacturing methods and design-for-manufacturability best practices.
• Partner with software, systems, mechanical, manufacturing, and service teams on system design, integration testing, documentation, and product support.
• Provide guidance for continuing engineering, reliability improvements, obsolescence management, and support of PHI’s current electronics suite.

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a closely related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
• More than 10 years of experience designing chassis-level mixed-signal control electronics for highly integrated hardware/software products; 15 or more years is preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in mixed-signal electronics design, test, and integration; control and data acquisition/processing; digital communications; and low-noise analog design.
• Experience with medium- to high-voltage analog electronics and appropriate high-voltage design and safety practices.

• Hands-on experience with microcontrollers, FPGAs, embedded firmware, PCB design, circuit simulation, prototyping, and laboratory test equipment.
• Competency with modern electronic design CAD tools such as Altium, OrCAD, and PSpice.
• Working knowledge of PCB and chassis-level manufacturing technologies, contract manufacturing, and design for manufacturability.
• Demonstrated project leadership in estimating, planning, risk mitigation, resource coordination, and execution management.
• Ability and desire to lead a small, highly technical engineering team while remaining actively involved in design and problem-solving.

• materials,…