Engineer V

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 supports 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 exciting opportunity for a PCB Engineer to join our Space Electrical Engineering team located in Englewood, Colorado. We are looking for someone with drive, talent, and experience in complex, high-speed digital circuit board design and layout using Altium Designer software 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 Manager of Space Avionics and, alongside high-caliber staff, will be engaged in the engineering support and new development of space systems and satellites, command and data handling electronics, spacecraft electrical systems, advanced sensors, laser and electro-optical sensors and payloads, space-based optical communications, and other cutting-edge technologies within the expanding product portfolio of GA-EMS.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• 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 supporting space systems, satellites, and related product lines.
• Create and manage standardized part libraries; develop PCB designs utilizing Electrical Computer-Aided Design (ECAD) Altium Designer; perform engineering computations; write specifications; and generate circuit board manufacturing data and drawings.
• Demonstrate prior experience in the improvement of legacy systems and development of new systems, specifically in applications where fast and agile but highly complex PCB design and layout work and subject-matter expertise are required to meet challenging technical performance and schedule objectives.
• Guide the successful resolution of engineering problems associated with PCB design and manufacturing.
• Guide the technical administration and use of ECAD software tools, libraries, processes, and development strategies.
• Serve as a consulting resource for PCB design and engineering knowledge, apply the latest technological advancements to problems, and occasionally function in a project leadership role.
• Contribute to complex electrical, optical, and mechanical engineering efforts with hardware and personnel safety in mind while exercising business strategy, technical judgment, and engineering acumen.
• Grasp, understand, correlate, and apply concepts in electrical engineering to components of a complex space system, specifically printed circuit boards.
• With limited direction, plan and execute technical efforts quickly and strategically. Assignments will normally be outlined in terms of broad specifications, objectives, possible anticipated results, and critical reference points requiring special attention.
• May represent the organization as the prime technical contact on projects.
• Provide innovative and creative technical solutions for working plans, detailed designs, and completed electrical drawings of printed circuit board components and assemblies for a wide variety of highly complex space products and systems.
• Work from preliminary schematics, notes, part lists, rough or detailed sketches, basic descriptions of board functions, and configurations and arrangements defined by engineering.
• Establish PCB design standards and configurations.
• Verify completed design elements while checking dimensions, materials to be used, and quantities.
• Provide direction to less experienced PCB designers and support staff.
• Provide subject-matter-expert (SME) recommendations to engineering staff during PCB design and peer review.
• Validate conformity to design standards and specifications; identify design errors and other deficiencies; and recommend changes.
• Provide documentation, including schematics and PCB layouts; identify design issues; and prepare and present technical design presentations to engineering staff and customers as required.
• Archive engineering data files per company configuration control procedures and interact with PCB vendors to coordinate the manufacturing of printed circuit boards and electronic assemblies.
• Remain current in ECAD techniques, IPC standards, and appropriate specialty design software and associated applications.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

• Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; nine or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, seven or more years of experience with a masters degree, or four or more years with a PhD.  May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Demonstrate technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice, with the ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads to meet established deadlines or milestones, including some experience in project leadership.
• Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately throughout an evolving project environment.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to enable an effective interface with other departments and/or professionals.
• Must be able to work both independently on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
• Customer-focused and able to formulate plans based on the development of innovative new designs in resolving advanced technical engineering problems.
• Capable of representing the organization as a prime technical contact, as well as providing leadership and guidance to less experienced colleagues.
• Must be able to determine the appropriate approach at the task level and project level to provide innovative solutions to a wide range of highly complex problems in the PCB design arena.
• Must have extensive and detailed understanding of PCB design concepts, drawing principles, manufacturing methods, and PCB design trade space for a wide range of PCB applications.
• Must demonstrate a very high skill level using Altium Designer.

Required Experience

• Knowledge of PCB design for digital, analog, and power applications.
• Proven ability to plan and implement, at the design stage, electrical, mechanical, and cabling/interconnect features in the PCB design for optimal circuit performance.
• High-speed digital circuit board layout, including DDR memory and GHz-range circuit speeds.
• Mixed-signal digital/analog circuit board layout, including split or isolated reference and power planes.
• High-power or high-voltage circuit board layout, including high-voltage isolation and techniques for supporting pulsed-power or high-power-dissipation applications.
• Complex, multilayer PCB design.
• Experience designing circuit boards for space, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability applications is desired.
• Experience with thermal-clad PCB design is desired.

Additional Requirements 

• Must be customer focused and able to work on a self-initiated basis or in a team environment and able to work extended hours and travel as required.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance is required.