Analog Electronics Design Engineer for Space Instruments

Analog Electronics Design Engineer

Are you an analog electronics engineer who wants to see your designs operate on spacecraft exploring our solar system?

Do you enjoy solving complex challenges in analog and mixed-signal electronics, from custom sensor and low-noise design to flight qualification and testing?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL!

The Space Science Electronics Group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory builds instruments and electronics systems that generate data used in scientific research. Our group of approximately 40 engineers brings technical expertise across all aspects of instrument development, including systems engineering, digital and analog electronics design, FPGA design, and software design. We work closely with engineers and scientists across the Laboratory to develop instruments for spaceflight missions.

Examples of our work include the instrument suite on the MESSENGER spacecraft, instruments for Europa Clipper, imagers on DART, and many other missions. We are currently developing instruments for Dragonfly and NOAA SOLAR missions. The instruments we build include magnetometers, optical imagers, particle instruments, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometers.

We are seeking talented analog electronics engineers to contribute to the design, implementation, production, and testing of spaceflight instrumentation. If you are passionate about analog electronics and instrumentation for spaceflight missions, we would be excited to have you join our team.

As an Analog Electronics Design Engineer, your primary responsibilities will be:

• Circuit design, simulation, and testing of analog electronics. Applications include low-noise and high-speed detector and anode preamps, CCD imaging detector bias and clocking, low-voltage power supplies, and motor control.
• Circuit design and testing of mixed-signal electronics to stimulate and emulate space flight electronics.
• Oversight of bread boarding, testing, and fabrication, and space qualification of the above.
• Design, test and integration of engineering model and flight model electronics.
• Collection, processing, calibration, and analysis of data to demonstrate instrument adherence to board level measurement requirements.
• Design review preparation and presentation.
• Test plan generation and documentation.

You will meet our minimum requirements if you have...

• A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in analog and/or front-end circuit design.
• An understanding of basic detector operation and signal chain electronics (low-noise preamplifiers, high-speed pulse amplifiers, analog-to-digital converters, etc.).
• A basic knowledge of syntax for scripting, preferably with the ability to script automated measurement sequences.
• Proficiency in computer-aided design and simulation tools.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment.
• The ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You will go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you have...

• A MSEE or PhD in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in analog and front-end circuit design.
• Space-qualified electronics design experience (part selection, derating, worst case analysis).
• Other digital, analog or ASIC circuit design experience.
• Leadership and organizational capabilities.
• Relevant space flight hardware experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• The ability to work independently and mentor early-career engineers.

Minimum Rate $100,000 Annually

Maximum Rate $245,000 Annually