Electrical Board Layout Engineer

Job Summary

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 exciting opportunity for an Electrical Engineer/Circuit Board Designer at our Herndon, VA location. Our team in Herndon provides innovative, cutting-edge, security solutions for the United States Government. The staff there has a multi-disciplinary, sometimes non-traditional, approach for generating innovative solutions to incredibly challenging technical problems in the national security arena. Our areas of expertise are in spacecraft payload and system development (especially in the confines of implementing very large amounts of functionality in extremely small, power-constrained environments); unique system development; ground control and operational software development; embedded software development; and unique cyber capabilities. Key customers include the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work with engineering staff on 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. These encompass isolated DC/DC converters, power conditioning systems, battery systems, advanced sensors, and satellite space systems.
• Create and manage standardized part libraries, develop PC board designs utilizing Electrical Computer-Aided Design (ECAD) Autodesk EAGLE software design suite tools, make 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 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.
• 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 anticipated, and critical reference points requiring special attention.
• Provide innovative and creative technical solutions to working plans, detailed designs, and completed electrical drawings of printed circuit (PC) board components and assemblies for a wide variety of highly complex products and components of products.
• Work from preliminary schematics, notes, part lists, rough or detailed sketches, basic descriptions of board functions, and configurations and arrangements defined by engineering.
• Establish design standards and configurations.
• Verify completed design elements while checking dimensions, materials to be used and quantities.
• Provide direction to less experienced PC board designers and support staff.
• Remain current in ECAD techniques, IPC Standards, as well as appropriate specialty design software and associated applications.
• Maintain the strict confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Responsible for observing all laws, regulations, and other applicable obligations wherever and whenever business is conducted on behalf of the Company.
• 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.

Job Category

Engineering

Travel Percentage Required

0% - 25%

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-Time Salary

State

Virginia

Clearance Level

Top Secret

Pay Range Low

81,080

City

Herndon

Clearance Required?

Desired

Pay Range High

141,650

Recruitment Posting Title

Electrical Board Layout Engineer

Job Qualifications

• 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; four or more years of experience with a bachelors degree or two or more years of experience with a masters degree. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Demonstrates an extensive 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 with some experience in project leadership.
• Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately throughout an evolving environment.
• 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 PC board design arena.
• Must have extensive and detailed understanding of PC board design concepts, drawing principles, manufacturing methods, and PC board design trade-space for a wide range of PC board applications.
• Must demonstrate a very high skill level using Autodesk EAGLE.
• Required Experience: Knowledge of PC board 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 PC board design for optimal circuit performance; high-speed digital circuit board layout, including DDR memory and GHz-range circuit speed; mixed-signal digital/analog circuit board layout, including split or isolated reference/power planes; high-power or high-voltage circuit board layout, including high-voltage isolation and techniques for supporting pulse-power or high power dissipation; complex, multi-layer PC board design.
• Must be able to work on a self-initiated basis and in a team environment.
• US Citizenship is required as is the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Security Clearance.

US Citizenship Required?

Yes

Experience Level

Mid-Level (3-7 years)

Relocation Assistance Provided?

Yes

Workstyle

Onsite