Staff Engineer- Electrical

About Vector Atomic

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real‑world solutions.

Location
:
Pleasanton, CA (onsite).
Travel
:
Up to 5%.

Staff Engineer – Electrical. You will design and develop cutting‑edge electronics for next‑generation quantum sensors, leading the architecture of PCB assemblies featuring FPGAs, MCUs, mixed‑signal, and RF circuits.

• Architectural Leadership:
  Lead high‑level electrical architecture for quantum sensors, balancing complex trade‑offs between size, weight, power, and performance (SWaPC).
• End‑to‑End PCB Development:
  Own the full development cycle, including requirement gathering, schematic capture, layout design, fabrication coordination, and performance verification.
• Technical Mentorship:
  Serve as a technical guide for the electrical engineering team, conducting rigorous design reviews and establishing hardware development best practices.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner with physicists and mechanical, software, and optical engineers to translate system requirements into precision electronic designs.
• System Integration & Testing:
  Assist with board bring‑up, debugging, and system‑level integration to ensure all instrument specifications are met.
• Manufacturing Support:
  Support production by troubleshooting issues, developing test verification procedures, and optimizing boards for yield, quality, and testability.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Drive the evolution of engineering procedures and refine PCB designs to enhance instrument performance.
• Documentation & Compliance:
  Maintain precise design records within a cloud‑based PLM system, managing revisions and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs).

• Education & Experience:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 8–12 years of experience, or a Master’s degree with 8+ years of experience.
• Export Compliance:
  To comply with U.S. export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens, lawful U.S. permanent residents, or specific protected individuals.
• Design Expertise:
  At least 5 years of professional experience developing complex, mixed‑signal PCBA designs using professional ECAD tools.
• Technical Proficiency:
  Expertise in high‑density PCB design (fine‑pitch BGAs, high‑speed differential pairs, and mixed‑signal architectures).
• System‑Level Design:
  Deep understanding of system‑level design for programmable devices including SoCs, FPGAs, and MCUs.
• Precision Electronics:
  Proven ability to design precision electronics with strict noise and ripple specifications.
• Impedance & EMI:
  Mastery of controlled impedance structures, signal integrity, power distribution networks, and EMI/EMC‑aware layout practices.
• Lab
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficiency in a laboratory environment, including the use of standard electronic instrumentation for testing and hardware debugging.
• Operational Tools:
  Experience using PLM systems to manage designs and ECOs.
• Communication:
  Strong written and verbal communication skills with a proven ability to collaborate across diverse engineering disciplines.

• Software Mastery:
  Advanced expertise in Altium Designer for schematic capture, layout, library management, and output generation.
• RF Circuitry:
  Experience designing and implementing RF circuits on traditional PCBs or ceramic substrates.
• Photonic Integration:
  Previous experience integrating electronics with high‑precision components like lasers, AOMs, and photodetectors.
• Thermal Engineering:
  Knowledge of thermal analysis, including heat sinking, copper pours, thermal vias, and component derating.
• ASIC Knowledge:
  Foundational skills in defining, simulating, and verifying ASIC designs.
• Industry Background:
  Professional experience in the precision sensor sector, specifically with atomic clocks or Inertial Navigation Systems (INS).

• Platinum‑level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)
• Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employer…