Lead PCB Design Engineer

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) designs and manufactures first‑of‑a‑kind electromagnetic and electric power generation systems. GA‑EMS' expanding portfolio of specialized products and integrated system solutions support critical fleet, space systems and satellites, missile defense, power and energy, and process and monitoring applications for defense, industrial, and commercial customers worldwide.

We have an excited opportunity for a Lead Electrical Engineer (EE) to join our Electrical Technologies team located in Rancho Bernardo. We are looking for someone with drive, talent, and experience in complex, high‑speed digital circuit board design and layout using Altium Designer software design suites for Electrical Computer‑Aided Design (ECAD). This role supports projects at all lifecycle stages, encompassing Research and Development (R&D), proven designs that are being productized and released, and fielded products.

The successful candidate will report to the PCBA Design Team Manager and, alongside high‑caliber staff, will be engaged in the engineering support and new development of high‑power electromagnetic systems, high‑energy laser systems, advanced airborne sensors, laser and electro‑optical sensors and payloads for space vehicles, space‑based optical communications, command and data handling electronics, cutting‑edge technology ventures into Defense and “New Space,” and a variety of disruptive technologies in the expanding product portfolio of GA‑EMS.

• Work with GA-EMS Engineering staff in the design and development of very complex and detailed layouts of printed circuit boards for high-speed digital, high-fidelity analog, and specialized power applications for all GA-EMS business areas and product lines. These encompass high-power motor drives, power conditioning systems, pulsed power systems, battery systems, high energy laser systems, advanced sensors, and satellite space systems.
• Create and manage standardized part libraries, develop PC board designs utilizing Electrical Computer‑Aided Design (ECAD) Altium Designer, make engineering computations, write specifications, and generate circuit board manufacturing data and drawings.
• Demonstrateprior experience in the improvement of legacy systems and development of new systems, specifically in applications where fast and agile but very complex PC board design/layout work and subject matter expertise is required in order to meet challenging technical performance and schedule objectives.
• Responsible for guiding the successful resolution of engineering problems associated with PC board design and manufacturing; guiding technical administration and use of ECAD software tools, libraries, processes, and development strategies; serving as a consulting resource for engineering knowledge; applying the latest technological advancements to problems; and sometimes functioning in a project leadership role.
• Contribute to complex, electrical/optical/mechanical engineering efforts with hardware and personnel safety in mind while exercising business strategy, political savvy, and technical acumen.
• Grasp, understand, correlate, and apply concepts in electrical engineering to pieces in a complex system, specifically PC boards.
• With limited direction, plan and execute technical efforts quickly and strategically. Assignments will normally be outlined in terms of broad specifications, objectives, possible results…